


Star Crossed

by liesorlife



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Evil!Lady Penelope, Heart Break, Romeo and Juliet AU, family at war, tag verse - kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22961104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liesorlife/pseuds/liesorlife
Summary: The Tracy families worst enemies are the snobbish and evil Creighton-Ward family, who are out to steal their secrets. Tag verse with a twist. Jeff never disappeared. The Hood is good and Lady Penelope is not.
Relationships: Penelope Creighton-Ward/Gordon Tracy
Comments: 50
Kudos: 20





	1. Introducing thunderbirds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pokeranger21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pokeranger21/gifts).



They had always known the Creighton-Ward family were trouble. Lord Creighton-Ward has stopped at nothing to get his hands on the international rescue ships. 

Jeff had drilled it into them from a very early age, the Tracy family and the Creighton-Ward family were at war! 

Jeff had built international rescue with the help of his five sons and their friend Brains nearly ten years ago, watching his children grow into confident, intelligent young men. 

Alan, at fifteen was the baby of the family. His blonde haired, blue eyed miracle baby. The one him and Lucy had ever given up having. He completed their family. He was still a little bit young for a full time roll with the team, but he is as natural behind the controls of the bright red rocket ship as he is on earth. 

Next came Gordon, nineteen years old and Trouble with a capital T from the moment he was born, two months early. He would never reach the heights of his brothers, but he more than made up for everything with his zest for life and enthusiasm for anything involving marine biology or a party! 

His middle son, John, at twenty one was more intelligent than the rest combined. Admitted early into Harvard to study astronomy, he is happiest when left alone up on thunderbird five. He even created his own friend. An artificially intelligent being calling herself Eos. She was Johns greatest creation, and the thing he is most proud of. Even if she did try to kill him! And always beats him at chess. 

Virgil, aged twenty three was the one who reminded him the most of his beloved wife. He had her eyes. Dark and deep, like two pools of melted chocolate than when fixed on you caused your heart to melt and usually give into whatever he wanted. He gave up a career as a professional musician to study engineering, as he believed family loyalty outweighed even his most desperate desires. He still played, but to relax and to entertain and he doesn’t miss the pressure of performing in public. 

Finally there was his eldest. His first born. Scott was twenty five and his dads double in both looks and personality. Fast, driven, focused. Nothing phased Scott. Not the toughest rescues, or the merciless pranking from Gordon. He was reliable too a fault and could not understand or forgive people being late, or rude. His job was looking after his siblings, whether they wanted him too or not! 

He also had friends. Brains, the genius behind everything, the man of the moment who hid behind his glasses and stammer an intellect so great it shadowed even John. 

And his head of security, a plucky young women who went by the name of Kayo. Her father and uncle had both been invaluable members of his team. Both now retired, but both keeping in touch and always ready and willing to spring into action when needed. 

His own mother had helped him raise these boys, she was the one who held him together after he lost his wife in a tragic avalanche which also nearly cost him John and Virgil and put him back together again. 

He had others too, too many too count. 

They were the good guys. The guys who had dedicated their whole lives to saving people. 

*

The Creighton-Ward family was the opposite. Lord Creighton-Ward was out to get his hands on their secrets, and always had been a thorn in Jeff Tracy’s side. 

They lived in a Manor House in England known simply as the Creighton-Ward Manor. From the outside it was a beautiful building, made from white stone spreading over three storeys. 

The grounds were immaculately kept and included an English maze, which his young daughter had gotten lost in once when she was three. It had taken him hours to find her, and when he had she was cold and she was frightened. After that he had the entrances sealed off, determined to keep his only child safe. 

Even from their early days when they were supposedly on the same side, Jeff did not trust him. 

His marriage hit the rocks and he was left bringing up his daughter alone. Lady Penelope was a snob, there was no denying that. A spoilt, rich snob. Undeniably pretty, with an attitude of someone with the extreme arrogance of knowing she was pretty. There was noting likeable about this girl. She was the same age as John but whereas he dedicated his life to helping people. She dedicated hers to making sure her nails were perfect and being a social media star. 

She had never met the Tracy’s, but she knew from her fathers ranting that they were evil and selfish. Keeping all this technology for themselves when the whole world would benefit. Hogging the rescue business. One of her fathers favourite rants was about how many more people could be saved if they would expand their technology. She doesn’t blame him for trying to steal it. 

Putting any thoughts of altruism out of her mind she concentrates on her manicure. A lady is only a lady if she acts like one. She remembers from her governesses lectures. 

Parker, the family chauffeur and butler is hovering near by, always on the look out for anything suspicious. He was a career criminal before being rescued from a life of disorganised crime and being shown new and more sophisticated methods of robbing people of their hard earned cash, which alongside his legitimate business interests is Lord Creighton-Wards main source of income. 

He also has his minions, hired goons, easily replaceable and he feels nothing but contempt for either of them. Nicknamed the “Chaos Crew”, there are two of them. A big, fairly stupid young man who answers to Fuse and is about as intelligent as a potted plant. And his sister, Havoc. The brains of the outfit. Eager to please, and enthusiastic, but her heart is in the right place. The side of evil he admires. They have both been carefully moulded into scapegoats should he need them, and there is no way of linking any of their crimes back to him. 

*

Gordon has just got back from a pretty straight forward rescue, a crew of a sinking cargo ship have been taken to safety, and he is starving. 

“Hey dad?” He calls across the room. 

Jeff looks up smiling at his second youngest boy. 

“Yes Gordo, what’s up?”

“Would you like a sandwich?” Gordon asks. 

“Yes please” Jeff replies. 

“Excellent, want to make me one?” Gordon answers his dad who has fallen straight into this trap! Again! 

Jeff just laughs at his funny amber eyed strawberry blonde son, before getting up and heading into the kitchen. Silently bawling himself out for falling for that one. It’s Gordon’s favourite! But he makes the sandwiches adding coffees into the order even though Gordon didn’t ask for a drink, he knows his boy needs caffeine. 

“Mmm, thanks dad!” He replies in between bites. 

“Any time son” Jeff replies. And he means it. He would do anything, absolutely anything for his boys. 

*

“Hey dad?” Scott asks, “when was the last time you heard anything from Lord Creighton-Ward?” 

It is late at night and for once all five boys, their father, and Kayo are in the same room, no rescues have been called in all day, and John has popped down to visit for a few hours, to plan his fathers surprise birthday party, due to take place in a few weeks time. 

“Not for a while, he hasn’t threatened me for a few weeks, why?” Jeff asks, curious to why Scott would want to know. 

“Don’t you find it all a little strange? I think he is up to something” Scott persists. 

“Maybe he is fed up of always losing when he goes head to head with us dad?” Alan adds. 

“It can’t be that, that level of evil never gives up!” Scott insists. 

“I can ask my father and uncle if they have heard anything if you want me too Scott?” Kayo pipes up, like Scott she is suspicious. Things here are too quiet. 

“Drop it you two, no news is good news!” Jeff insists. 

Scott doesn’t believe him. He is worried even if he won’t admit it. 

Gordon looks happily around at his brothers, and his father. The five people he would do absolutely anything for. 

Yawning heavily, he can barely keep his eyes open, saying good bye to his family he heads to his bedroom. The room is bathed in moonlight from the window. He had a beach themed mural on one wall and the other three are a pleasant warm shade of yellow. Gordon loves this room. He pulls on his light blue, Tracy issue pyjamas, before drawing the curtains and plunging the room into darkness as he slides under the blanket and drifts off into a peaceful sleep. 

He doesn’t know it but his brothers all pull the same routine and within half an hour there is not a single awake being on the island. Even John spends the night, happy to leave thunderbird 5 in the hands of Eos for the night. 

*

It is still daylight in England and Lord Creighton-Ward is pacing up and down his office. The only furniture in the cold, sparse office is his desk, a hard backed wooden chair and a filing cabinet. The only portrait is one of himself he had commissioned and the walls have been painted plain white. Even the windows are positioned so that very little natural light ever enters the room, but this is how he likes it. 

He is angry, nothing he has planned so far has worked out. Those Tracy’s will pay for the way they have disrespected him and his family, if it is the last thing he does they will pay! And Jeff Tracy’s birthday party will be the perfect opportunity to do so. And they think they have it another of their special secrets. He will show them. He will show them all! 

“Havoc, Fuse?” He calls through to the chaos cruiser, “What is the latest from that infernal island?” He asks. He knows he should have hired better minions, but they sometimes get the job done. And they have caused plenty of destruction in his name over the years. The GDF have never been able to link him to any of it, no matter how much they think they know, he is always one step ahead of them. 

“All go for two weeks time boss” Fuse replies. 

“Good, remember my motto!” He tells them. 

“Cause as much chaos as possible” Fuse replies grinning. 

“And...?” Lord Creighton-Ward continues. 

“Don’t get caught!” Havoc chimes in. 

“Precisely. Do. Not. Get. Caught.” He repeats.


	2. Going under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry Gordon!

The run up to Jeffs surprise birthday party is littered with urgent rescues and there are days when it feels like none of the boys have slept. Gordon just grateful that when travelling in thunderbird 2 with Virgil that he can rely on his big brother to get them home safely while he sleeps. 

Alan, Virgil, Scott And Gordon have been awake for nearly 24 hours battling to save fifty people from a building which collapsed without warning in Australia. They are all suffering from exhaustion and their tempers flare at the slightest disturbance. 

Everyone has been safely evacuated, just in time. With minimal injuries. A few broken bones and a mild concussion is a small price to pay as the victims know that without international rescue they would not have stood a chance. 

“Gordon, Alan, Let’s get everything loaded back into the module and head home, agreed?” Virgil asks his younger brothers tiredly. Gordon agrees, anything that will allow them to get out of here faster is okay with him. 

“Alan?” Virgil calls again having got no response. 

Still silence. 

“Alan? Where are you?” virgil repeats, trying to hide the alarm that is now rising up in his chest. 

“ALAN?!” Gordon joins in, equally concerned. Their youngest brother would never not answer a call. They all know too well the consequences of radio silence. 

“Scott? Have you heard from Alan?” Gordon asks, his steady voice betraying the nerves he is feeling. 

“No. I thought he was with you. I was about to take off. Getting down now. Don’t worry Gords, we will find him”. 

“ALAN” Scott joins in the frantic search. 

“Dad?” Virgil contacts the base in desperation “we can’t find Alan”. Abandoning all pretence now and entering full panic mode. 

“Scanning the building now boys, stay calm” Jeff tells them. The three of them are all gathered round Virgil’s Comm device. Waiting for their dad to find him with baited breath. 

“Okay there are three life signs still in the building. Get a mole pod, and head round to the rear entrance. Go down 15 metres and enter at a 35 degree angle, you should then be in a large hollow room. And boys...? Hurry. That building is about to fall right on top of them”

They don’t need to be told twice, Gordon leaping into action and configuring the required pod in record time. While Virgil jumps into the drivers seat, Gordon joining him as soon as it is ready to launch. 

“Be back in a bit Scott” Gordon tells his eldest brother “stay here and paint your toenails!” 

“Just go!” Scott replies rolling his eyes. 

The rear of the building is a mess, but luckily they can get close enough without having to move too much debris. Following their dads instructions they find themselves in the room. 

Sure enough Alan is lying on the ground unmoving, which is covered in shards of broken glass, and there is a large hole in the centre of the room. The ceiling is a sea of exposed wires, sparking with electrical current which could cause the room to ignite at any time. They need to move quickly. 

“Noooo!” Alan cries, “get out while you can, you should not have come to save me!” He starts to cry. Knowing his brothers have walked straight into their trap. And he knows that there is nothing he can do about it. Struggling against the ropes binding his hands painfully behind his back, Alan is stuck and now two of his brothers are doomed to die alongside him. 

“What are you talking about?” Gordon asks him confused, still trying to get to Alan. 

“THAT!” Alan cries. 

Suddenly Gordon feels everything go black as he is attacked by Fuses power punch, which knocks him unconscious. 

Virgil had a split second to react, to get out of the impact zone, diving down on to the ground and trying to protect his head. But he knows this is the end. All three of them are going to die here. 

He can do nothing but watch as Fuse brutally grabs Gordon by the hair and yanks him onto his feet before dragging him across the room and dropping him roughly back down onto the floor, making sure Gordon’s head hits the ground hard. 

But Fuse underestimated the youngest Tracy brother, who takes advantage of his momentary distraction to swing his legs round and knock fuse off his feet. 

Fuse lets out a painful cry as he falls backwards through the hole in the floor. Cutting his loses he jumps into the waiting cruiser where Havoc has been waiting for him and they flee the scene. 

“Alan are you okay?” Virgil asks racing over to where his youngest brothers are lying. 

“I’m fine Virgil” he replies. He isn’t. He is caked in mud, and his wrists are burned and bleeding from where the ropes dug into them. But he knows nothing is life threatening, and that they need to get out of here as quickly as possible. 

“Are you okay to drive the mole pod if I bring Gordon?” Virgil asks him, he doesn’t want to put this on Alan but he has no choice. Gordon needs medical attention and he needs it now. 

Bravely Alan nods, Steeling himself to get up off the floor while Virgil gently picks up the still unconscious Gordon. 

“He’s breathing Alan” Virgil reassures him, “lets just get him out of here”. 

Scott is waiting for them, anxiously. 

“Virgil?” He cries out as he sees the mole pod coming back into view. He can see that Alan is driving it. But he can’t see into the back. He can’t see Virgil and he can’t see Gordon. 

Running over to meet them, he feels his heart skip a beat as he lays eyes on his brothers. All three are completely filthy, and Alan is dripping blood from his left wrist. 

Gordon is still lying limp in Virgil’s arms, his breathing laboured. There is a steady trickle of blood from his temple and his Face is ghostly white and not at all like the little brother he remembers, the one who hates being stuck indoors when he could be outside in the sun. 

Scott lifts him from Virgil’s embrace and the four of them head into the medical bay. 

What happened? Scott asks Alan while he tends to his injured wrists, making sure the cuts are clean and free from any potential infection before bandaging them up. 

“Chaos Crew” Alan replies, teeth gritted with a mix of pain and anger that he fell for their tricks. “I picked up on the two life signs and I thought it was more trapped workers who needed our help. Next thing I knew they had me on the ground and tied up. They kept saying that you would come and get me and that they would then kill us all down here. Buried so deep no one would ever find out the truth.” 

“I’m sorry Scott. I should have been aware that something like this could happen”. 

“Alan, it’s not your fault, we are in this business to save people. You can’t think that everyone in danger is going to try to kill you or you would never get out of bed in the morning!” Scot tells him. 

“He’s right” a voice pops up from behind them. 

“Virgil? How’s Gordon doing?” 

“Concussion and a fractured skull” Virgil replies sadly. “But providing he stays in bed and rests for a few weeks he will be fine” 

“Stays in bed and rests? Have you even met Gordon?! I don’t think he actually has either of those abilities!” Scott tells him actually laughing now. Despite the seriousness of the situation. 

*

Jeff remains by his fourth sons bed in the infirmary night and day. They all know that all three of them are lucky to be alive. 

“Dad?” 

He looks up to see Alan standing there holding out a fresh mug of coffee. 

Jeff takes it wordlessly and downs it in one gulp even though they all know it is scalding hot. 

“How can you do that?” Alan asks awed. 

“Years of practise son!” Jeff replies almost cracking a smile. 

“Any change?” Alan asks. This is the real reason he is here, ever since they got back he has been feeling too guilty to just go and ask without keeping up the pretence that he is helping out his father. 

“No, son. No change”. Jeff replies looking into Gordon’s still too pale face. “Want to sit with us for a while?” Jeff asks. 

Alan nods before sitting down on the edge of the chair, not daring to make himself comfortable. 

“Alan sit properly” Jeff orders him sternly. He doesn’t mean to, but he knows that when upset Alan responds better to direct commands. 

“Dad... I...” He trails off. 

“Alan, none of this is your fault. I know you can’t help balling yourself. We both know when Gordon wakes up, the first words out of his mouth will be “Alan stop blaming yourself!” Jeff tells him, this time he really does smile. Briefly. So brief that if you didn’t see it you would never have believed it. 

“He’s right...” croaks a voice from the middle. 

“Gordon?!” Alan cries out, barely able to contain his excitement. 

“What happened to me?” He asks confused “why does my head hurt?” 

“Don’t you remember? The building collapse in Australia?” Alan asks. 

“Erm okay” Gordon replies, desperately trying to figure it out. 

“The chaos crew?” Alan tries again. “I got kidnapped and you and Virgil came to save me”. 

“Who’s virgil?” Gordon asks even more confused. 

“Dad?” Alan cries. 

His dad knows Gordon better than even Gordon knows Gordon, and just raises an eyebrow at his prankster son. 

Who bursts out laughing. 

“That’s not funny Gordon!” Alan tells him angrily. 

“Oh come on. It was a little funny” Gordon replies shrugging. 

“Dad!” Alan calls again. 

“Okay I won’t do it again!” Gordon assures him, unless you want to help me prank Scott” Gordon’s grin is one of pure evil. 

“No. I don’t!” Alan tells him pouting. After four days of wanting his brother awake and well Alan suddenly wishes he was still in a coma! 

Jeff Is watching the scene unfold trying not to laugh. These two have been like this since they learned to walk and talk and he hopes it never ever changes. 

*

“Havoc! Fuse! I told you to kill them. I told you that the best way to disrupt this party was to get rid of his vile children. And did you? No! You once again failed in the most simple task. You had one of them tied up. What was stopping you dropping him down the hole?” 

Lord Creighton-Ward is furious. 

“One of them nearly died” havoc explains trying to diffuse the situation and calm her boss down. 

“Yes. And for the last time the nearly dead did not fill a graveyard! I want those Tracy’s and I don’t want them alive! Mess up one more time and I will hand the pair of you over the to GDF myself!” 

With that he hangs up on them and grabs a bottle of whiskey. Minions like that drive him to drink far more than he should.


	3. Movie night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to look after the sick squid the only way they know!

“Who else is home?” Gordon asks Alan. 

“Scott And kayo. Virgil is out with grandma on a supply run” Alan tells him. 

“Oh good, I need some more celery crunch bars”. 

“Oh dear”, Jeff interrupts “do you want to tell him Al, or should I?”

“Tell me what?” Gordon asks. 

“While you were unconscious the maker of the celery crunch bar discontinued them due to a massive shortage in celery” Jeff tells him. 

“WHAT?!” Gordon replies horror-struck. “They can’t!” 

Alan just laughs. Gordon picking up that his dad was only joking visibly relaxes. 

“Not funny dad!” Gordon tells him. Sounding exactly like Alan. 

“Oh come on Gordy, it was a little funny!” His dad replies, slipping into their old routine. 

Gordon sinks back into the fluffy pillow supporting his head and yawns loudly. 

“Yeah I guess I deserved it” he agrees. 

His dad buzzes Scott And Kayo, who are sat in the living room analysing Scott’s mission report. 

“Are you free for five minutes guys?” Jeff asks. 

They aren’t, they have a big backlog of reports to go through, but they know that this is not an optional request and both get up and head to the infirmary. 

“Gordon! Welcome back to the land of the living!” Kayo greets him. 

He looks up at them, grinning. “Thanks. Still tired though, and my head hurts, this feels similar to the time I thought challenging Kayo to a boxing match was a good idea!” 

“I’m still up for a rematch, just say the word?” Kayo tells him laughing. 

“Er no thanks, Scott would love to though” Gordon advises her. 

“No Scott would not!” Scott tells her. 

“Right I think we need to let Gordon get some sleep, I will let Virgil and grandma know you’re awake, and I will sneak you in some chocolate later when dads asleep!” Scott tells him. 

*

“Does this mean the party is back on?” Virgil asks, as they put everything on hold until they knew Gordon was going to be okay. 

“Let’s see what shape your brother is in first”, grandma cautions, “but knowing Gordon, he won’t be planning on missing a party!” 

They stock up on the essentials, hair gel for Scott, celery crunch bars for Gordon and even remember to pick up the new zombie game Alan requested. 

“How he can spend hours shooting zombies is beyond me, they’re all the same these games” Grandma drones on as they fly home. Virgil privately agrees, but knows Better than to say anything as all that will happen is Gordon and Alan will accuse him of being old again! 

*

Gordon will not let them cancel the party! He has helped plan this for months, keeping everything secret was the hardest part and he has no intention of missing out now. 

They are all gathered in the infirmary trying to keep Gordon’s spirits up. He has a box of celery crunch bars on one side and a butterscotch milkshake on the other. Virgil is trying hard to get them to agree on a movie. 

“I am not watching something that’s seventy years old!” Gordon complains, “this thing is older than grandma!”

“But it’s a classic Gords, and it is so romantic” Virgil insists. 

“The movie is three hours long, and the only decent scene is where the damned thing sinks, and even that is an hour longer than it needs to be. And don’t get me started on the acting. That wimpy Leonardo Decapitated got what he deserved. An eternal icy grave”. Gordon tells him disgusted. 

“Real romantic Gords!” Scott tells him laughing. 

“Well it’s true!” Alan says, backing up his brother. 

“Okay so not Titanic, how about Romeo and Juliet?” Virgil asks, picking out his second favourite movie. 

“Is that the one where Leonardo Dicrapio runs away with a total stranger gets married then commits suicide?” Alan asks “seriously Virgil what is wrong with you? You have the worst taste in movies!” 

“Okay so what do you want to watch?” 

“Twilight” Scott chimes in. 

“No way!” Gordon protests, “I am not watching the sparkly vampire thing again!” 

“Why not?” Scott asks 

“It’s even more unrealistic than the titanic” Gordon replies rolling his eyes 

“But twilight was based on a true story! Whereas the titanic is fiction” Alan tells them. 

Causing Virgil to spit his drink out! “What?!” He exclaims. 

“Edward Cullen was a real person, but everyone knows the Titanic is just a story” Alan insists. 

“How on earth are you passing history?” Virgil asks bursting into laughter. 

“But Gordon told me. Gordon doesn’t lie!” Alan tells them insistently. 

“Gordon!” Scott exclaims 

“What? It’s not my fault Alan believes everything I say!” 

“Boys? Have you decided on a movie yet?” Jeff asks walking into the infirmary carrying a tray of popcorn and drinks. 

“Yeah avengers” Gordon replies. He’s in the mood for some mindless violence! 

Virgil pouts but brings the movie up. 

“So Gordon, What is your idea of a perfect date?” Scott asks. 

“Easy, I would start by eating the meal she cooked for me, then I would lie on the sofa while she gives me a foot rub and I watch some athletics and then if she’s really lucky I will ask her back for a second date” Gordon tells him. 

“Are you serious?” Virgil is horrified by his brothers lack of romantic ambitions, “you do that and there is no way they’ll be a second date!” 

Gordon shrugs. “I’m good looking and rich, they always want more!” 

“You forgot shallow!” Virgil adds. 

Gordon just shrugs, he doesn’t care what people think of him, he knows he’s the best looking of them all!

*

The movie finishes about midnight, Gordon was asleep about twenty five minutes in. 

“I highly doubt you’re going to get grandkids from the squid dad!” Virgil tells him seriously! 

“He will grow out of it!” Jeff tells him. “He just hasn’t met the right girl yet”. 

Virgil and Scott are both sceptical, they know Gordon has no intentions of settling down with just one girl! 

*

“Father?” Lady Penelope knocks on the office door. 

“Come in” his gruff voice sounds through the door. 

Entering she is always amazed at how sparse the room is. 

“This party that international rescue believe is a secret. I want to go. It’s a masquerade so I would be wearing a mask, they would never even know I was there. I could even use an alias.” She is almost begging him. What is the point of being he daughter of a billionaire aristocrat if she can’t attend the coolest parties. 

“Why would you even want to?” Her father asks “I could understand it if you were planning to blow it up, but we both know that you are your mothers daughter when it comes down to it!” 

“All my friends are going, it isn’t fair that I have to miss the party of the year because you don’t like Jeff Tracy, I don’t like him or the spoilt brats he calls his children, but I can’t not go to this party. Father please. Why don’t we look to use it as a spy mission?” 

“No. You will not be leaving this house”. Her father tells her. Starting to lose his patience now. 

“Fine!” Lady Penelope snarls and stalks out of the room. She tried plan A and that didn’t work, she didn’t expect it too. Now time for plan B! Sneaking out! 

Lord Creighton-Ward calls through to his faithful chauffeur and butler Parker. 

“You rang sir?” He asks coming to the still open door. 

“Yes Parker. This party. It needs to go wrong. This is the perfect opportunity to wreak chaos and you are going to help”. 

“Of course Sir, What do you need for me to do?” 

“Listen closely because I am only going to say this once....”

*

“Hey dad? Can I get up yet?” Gordon asks, it has been two days since he regained consciousness and he is already bored! 

“No! The doctor said at least five days of complete rest and that is exactly what you are going to get, even if it kills you!” Jeff tells him fondly. “How about a game of killing zombies with your favourite father?” 

“Okay! But prepare to die old man!” Gordon tells him fiercely. 

They play for hours, and once Jeff has got the hang of the controls he is a lot better than Gordon would ever have given him credit for! 

They are about to start their sixth straight hour when the global emergency alarm sounds. 

“Sorry Gords! I have to go and check that out, get some sleep okay?” 

“But dad!” Gordon protests. 

“No you are not getting up!” Jeff tells him, the bond between them ever present. 

“Fine! Go!” Gordon tells him. 

*

“What’s happening John?” Jeff asks joIning Scott, and Virgil in the living room. 

“There has been an earthquake in California. Going to need all of us. Apart from you Gordon, get back to bed!” John lectures him, spotting that he has followed his dad out of the infirmary. 

“But But But...” Gordon sputters. 

“Goats butt! Are you a goat?” John asks him, as his brothers all head to gear up

“No!” Gordon replies 

“Then back to bed” this time from both his dad and brother. 

Gordon gives in. 

“Fine! But you know where I am if you need me!” 

“BED!”


	4. The slug and the lettuce

Gordon knows they have his best interests at heart, but it doesn’t make it less frustrating as he finds himself lying in the infirmary alone while his brothers are on another mission. But he is determined to use his alone time wisely, pulling out his tablet he starts looking for costume ideas for the party. 

He tried to talk his brothers into an underwater theme where everyone would be dressed as fish, he even had the perfect costume picked out for Alan, the kid would have looked great as Nemo! But he was outvoted and they eventually settled for a masquerade party, where everyone would be allowed anonymity, even from each other. They were not even allowed to drop hints as to what they were going to be wearing. Even John had agreed to not hack his brothers tablets to spy on their ideas! 

His mask is the last thing that he needs to get delivered, he is going to make the best Shrek! He was contemplating green face paint but decided that a mask would be a lot simpler. 

*

He is asleep when his brothers return, and even he has to admit going on the rescue would have been a terrible idea. 

“I’m too tired to shower!” Alan announces flopping down on the sofa and placing a cushion over his head 

Virgil turns to Scott, “What do you think we should do with him?”

“Throw Him in the pool!” Scott replies grabbing his arms, “grab his legs Virg!” 

“NO!” Alan cries, “I’m up I’m up!” He scrambles to his feet and legs it to his room for a shower. 

“Works every time!” Jeff laughs. “Everything go okay out there?” He asks Scott. 

“Yeah, got a bit hairy at times, but the kid did well dad” Scott reassures him. “I know you worry that he is too young and he’s missing out on a normal childhood, but he loves this. He would hate for you to send him to boarding school for a proper education and social interaction with kids his own age!” 

“I know, believe me, remember I tried it with the squid!” Jeff replies. 

“He only got expelled the once though!” Scott reminds him laughing. “And he is right; it wasn’t his fault the principal had no sense of humour”. 

“He blew up the septic tank! It cost me thousands to repair!” Jeff tells him exasperated. 

“Did you take it out his trust fund?” Scott asks. 

“How did that not occur to me. No I didn’t, and it’s too late now. I can’t bring that back up, it will give him ideas!” 

They both laugh, they know Gordon wouldn’t show any remorse, even now! 

*

The party is drawing nearer and Alan has no idea what to go as. Every idea he has had is lame. Contemplating just showing up in his international rescue uniform even though he knows that Gordon would cross his name off the guest list in disgust at his complete lack of imagination. 

He is standing in front of the mirror in his bedroom trying on different outfits throwing them all on the floor. Nothing looks good. 

“Hey Alan, you coming to dinner?” Virgil asks. “Allie, what’s wrong?” Walking into the room, Alan looks like he is about to cry. 

“I can’t do this Virgil, I can’t even think of a decent costume idea! Gordon is going to laugh at me” 

“Gordon laughs at you anyway! He laughs at us all. Why would this be any different? As for a costume, just get an astronaut one online”. Virgil tells him. 

“That’s not a bad idea”, Alan says brightening. 

“Come on let’s go and see what inedible garbage grandma is expecting us to eat tonight. I heard her earlier saying something about lasagne” Virgil laughs as Alan gags. He hates grandmas lasagne more than her cookies. 

*

They join Gordon, still stuck in the infirmary, for dinner. Which to Alan’s disgust is lasagne. 

“How is it burned on the top but still frozen inside?” He asks. 

“Talent, now eat your dinner and stop complaining!” Grandma tells him. 

Alan concentrates on the salad, picking off a caterpillar and losing the last remnants of his appetite!

“Did you wash this salad?” Gordon asks, as his is home to a slug. 

“You have to wash salad?” Grandma asks, this never occurred to her. 

“Yes!” They all reply. “This is covered in bugs!”

“Oh I saw them but I just assumed they were additional protein” she replies shrugging. 

“Who wants ice cream?” Jeff asks laughing, getting up and collecting the almost full plates from his sons and heading out into the kitchen. Virgil following him out the room to help. 

*

Once again lady Penelope is eating alone. It’s a lonely existence, knowing she has no real friends or family. She would do anything for a real family. She hasn’t seen her father since he refused to let her go to the masquerade international rescue are organising. 

Her meal was prepared by her fathers Michelin star chef, whose name she doesn’t know. It is delicious but her heart isn’t in it. 

Abandoning the food she heads upstairs to her room, which is more of a suite. Large and airy, which a king size bed set on a Dias in the middle of the room, elegant lace pink curtains frame the bed. 

Lady Penelope hates this room, she hates the whole damned house. 

Walking into her walk-in wardrobe, she starts to leaf through her outfit choices. Nothing in this room cost less and five thousand pounds and she doesn’t want to wear any of it. 

Walking back into the bed room, she collapses onto the bed and pulls out her tablet. Maybe she can get some inspiration on line. 

Shrek has just started showing on an old movie channel, she remembers watching the Shrek films with her mum before she left. Happy memories flood her brain, memories of being happy, of spending Saturday nights home with both of her parents, being loved. 

“Princess Fiona” she thinks. Now that’s not a bad idea! 

*

“Hey dad, we are all going to California in the morning. We have cleared it with the GDF, we are taking Gordon to a hospital on the mainland for a scan, and you’re coming too” Scott announces. 

This is the cover story, Gordon does still have a bit of a headache but that’s diminishing every day, and he is ready. The costume has been packed and shipped to their hotel and he is good to go. 

It is nearly a week later, Gordon is still not allowed near a danger zone, but he has at least been let out the infirmary, and he’s even been allowed back in the pool, with the strictest of instructions to take it easy. 

They take the thunderbirds, just in case there is an emergency, and they all have taken a vow to not get drunk! 

“How many rooms did you book?” Jeff asks hoping he isn’t left sharing a room with John, who’s snoring could wake the dead! 

“We booked the whole hotel!” Gordon tells him with a grin. “The pent suite is mine though!” 

“I thought we agreed to let dad have the pent suite”, Scott tells him rolling his eyes. 

“Yeah then I remembered I’m injured and therefor deserve luxury, so I am having it!” 

The five-star hotel is sparkling in the early morning sunshine as Virgil parks up thunderbird two in the parking lot. 

The building is a beacon of pure white brilliance. They head inside to check in, Jeff is still completely clueless as to why they are really here. 

“How are you going to get out of the hospital appointment lie Gords?” Alan asks, curiously. 

“I’m not, I really do have a check-up booked to make sure the fracture is healing properly”. He tells Alan. “And Dad is coming with me, so you will have about three hours to set the ball room up”. 

“GORDON, are you ready?” Jeff calls

“Coming!” He calls back. “Bye rocket boy!” 

“See ya later fish face!” Alan calls back laughing. 

*

“Give it to me straight doc, am I going to live?” Gordon asks seriously. 

“You took a pretty big hit, but you’re healing up nicely! And I see you haven’t let it dent your sense of humour!” He replies laughing. “Here is a new prescription for painkillers, just take them as and when you need them” 

“Thank you doctor, come on dad, lets hit the beach!” 

“Okay for a few hours, but you are not going surfing!” Jeff replies. 

They hang out at the beach for hours until they Gordon gets a text from Virgil to say it’s all ready. 

“Hey dad, I’m getting tired, can we head back to the hotel?” He asks. 

“Sure, its time for my surprise birthday party anyway!” Jeff replies. 

“Oh damn I wasn’t supposed to say that!”


	5. The Princess to his Ogre

“Don’t worry Gordon, I will try not to ruin the surprise, but did you boys really think I wouldn’t find out! Honestly Squid, I love you all more than ever right now. The effort you guys have put in for this night is incredible” Jeff puts his arm around Gordon’s shoulder and together they take the short walk back to the hotel. 

“Your costume is on the bed by the way, and don’t worry they wouldn’t let me pick it!” Gordon tells him 

“Oh thank god!” Jeff replies, knowing that Gordon would have him wearing something garish and ugly for full embarrassment purposes. 

*

Gordon heads up to the penthouse suit on the top floor to get ready, slipping his bright green ogre head on last, no one will ever be able to figure out who he is, he thinks. The coloured contact lenses make his eyes flash black and he loves them, thinking about making that a permanent feature he heads down stairs, in his own private lift that is only accessible via his room key. 

John is dressed in an elegant black suit, with a batman mask covering his eyes, and feels self conscious and awkward. Wishing more than ever that he could fake an emergency call and get back up to thunderbird 5 and EOS! “I would rather pull people out of burning buildings than do this!” He mutters to himself as he leaves the room.

Alan took Virgil’s advice and is dressed in an astronaut costume. He knows Gordon will not appreciate his lack of imagination but at least he came up with something so wouldn’t end up looking completely foolish on the dance floor. Well until he started to actually dance! 

Virgil’s costume is a huge surprise to everyone. He has a black furry cat suit on. He is going dressed as Macavity from his favourite musical. “And I make the most adorable kitty!” He thinks as he straightens his whiskers. 

Scott, like John has gone for simple, un-embarrassing elegance. A plain black suit, black sunglasses and a black top hat. It may not be a specific costume, but at least no one will laugh at him! 

Jeff can’t believe what his children have picked out for him! It is a bright orange silk suit which looks like it was sewn together in the dark by the three blind mice, he thinks. The hat to go with it is pink and clashes horribly, especially with the long blonde wig he has also been instructed to wear. He knows Gordon said he had nothing to do with it, but he is skeptical. This can only be Gordon’s handiwork! 

The six of them meet in the lobby. 

“Ready to make an entrance dad?” Shrek asks him laughing. 

“You said you had nothing to do with this Squid!” Jeff tells him, pointing at the suit. 

“I lied, sue me! And it’s Shrek now!” Gordon replies laughing at the look on his fathers face. 

Jeff just laughs too, he knows it doesn’t matter what Gordon does, that unconditional love he has for all five of his boys will never be broken. Not by him. It is a vow he made to their mother, and he fully intends to never let her down. 

*

The ball room looks spectacular, as they enter to rapturous applause from their guests. Who like the boys have all come in costume. Everyone is wearing masks. As per the rules and it is impossible to tell some of them apart. 

The boys all leave Jeff to interact with his guests and split up. Alan and Gordon heading straight for the snack table. John, Virgil and Scott all head for the bar, and order cokes. They know alcohol is out of the question while they’re on call. 

Gordon is stuffing his face with cheese balls when he feels a tap on his shoulder. Turning round quickly spraying cheese everywhere, he finds himself a princess. 

“Princess Fiona?” Gordon smiles. He has no idea who the person under the mask is, but that was the point of this whole idea. 

“Yes” she replies simply. Her voice is sugary sweet and she sounds so self assured and confident. 

They don’t speak for several seconds while they take in each other’s costumes. 

“Would you like to dance with me?” He asks. Nervously. Why is he nervous? He has never been nervous around a girl before. Not even a princess! 

Princess Fiona nods and takes his hand in hers and leads him away from the food and onto the dance floor. 

*

Lady Penelope has no idea who her Shrek is, but he is not the greatest dancer she has ever been with! Used to dancing with aristocratic young men who have had years of classical training have left her with very high standards! But he seems nice and sincere, and he genuinely wants to spend time with her without knowing that she is one of the wealthiest women in the world. 

She doesn’t let him go at the end of the first dance, or the second. This is her night. The only night of her life where she can be whoever she wants to be. 

“Would you like a drink?” He asks her. Finally getting her to stop spinning him around long enough to get a whole sentence out. 

“Yes please” she replies, and they both head to the bar. 

“Coke please, and whatever my princess is having” Gordon tells the barmaid. 

“I will have the same” she tells her. She doesn’t even really like coke, but she is going to be having whatever he is having. 

“Luckily these costumes come with mouth holes!” Gordon tells her as they take their drinks over to a secluded spot in the corner. 

She laughs. 

He loves her laugh. Already. And he wants to hear it over and over again for the rest of his life. 

*

Alan is drunk. Despite all his promises. And the fact he is underage. He is out in the middle of the dance floor, his older brothers have all disappeared with dates hours ago, and he has no idea where his dad went. 

It is nearly three in the morning now, and the party is slowly dwindling down to the last few remaining guests. 

Rubbish is strewn everywhere. People have been throwing up in the bushes outside, or in the bin if they can’t make it outside. No one is policing the party. Jeff left at midnight for an early night, and his brothers have been leaving him to his own devices since they entered the ballroom, and he doesn’t have a clue where any of them are now. 

*

“So Princess Fiona, are you going to reveal your true identity?” Gordon asks. They are up in his suite, having left the party. He knew Alan had been drinking and that their father would be beyond furious in the morning but he doesn’t care. Nothing else in the world matters apart from his Princess. 

Her hands are shaking, he notices. Grasping them in his he holds them tightly. 

“Why are you so afraid?” He asks. 

“I’m afraid that if you find out who I really am you won’t like me. Nobody ever likes me.” She tells him. 

He can feel the pain in her voice piercing his heart. 

“That can’t be true? You lit up that ballroom tonight, and that party would have been awful if you hadn’t been there”. The last part is definitely a lie! That was one epic party! 

“Promise me you won’t judge me?” She asks. Fear causing her voice to shake. 

“I promise. Please, Princess? How about we reveal our true identities together?” 

Slowly she nods, and slowly they both take their masks off. 

Gordon gasps in shock. 

“Lady Creighton-Ward?! My father is going to kill me!” He tells her in despair. 

“Gordon Tracy?! My father is going to kill me!” She says in unison with the same look of anguish. 

Then they laugh. 

“At least this way we will die happy!” Gordon tells her, as they fall onto his bed in heaps of laughter. 

This doesn’t feel like his usual hook ups, this is not cheap sex, he doesn’t even want to. He just wants to lie here, in her arms forever. The sex can come later, when they’re married! He thinks. Because he is going to marry this women. He doesn’t care what either of their parents say. She is his now. Forever. 

Then she pounces on him! 

*

“GORDON?” 

Someone is pounding on his bedroom door. He doesn’t have a clue who would be banging on his door at... holy crap 5 in the morning. 

“Penny? Go and hide in the bathroom, I will get rid of them”. Gordon tells her desperately. They both know that they can not get caught like this. 

“Who is it?” He replies. Pulling a clean pair of boxers on as Lady Penelope legs it into the bathroom. 

“VIRGIL. GET THIS DOOR OPEN. NOW!”

Shit he sounds furious. How can he have found out this quickly?

Opening the door Virgil runs into the room. 

“Hurry up and get dressed! We have to go. NOW!” He tells him. This is completely out of character for his second eldest brother. He sounds like Scott now. Angry and impatient. 

“What’s going on Virg?” He asks. “I didn’t hear the emergency alarm?”

“It’s Alan!” 

Gordon pales. No. Not Alan. 

“He’s In hospital, and he’s been arrested!”


	6. A House Divided...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tracy family is about to be torn in two.

“What happened?” Gordon asks, grabbing a pair of jeans off the floor and roughly shoving his legs into the them, hopping around the room as he realises he has them on back to front. 

“No idea but dad wants us all downstairs in five minutes” Virgil tells him, leaving him alone to get dressed. 

“Penny you have to stay here until they have left, I will text you when it’s safe”. 

“It’s okay Shrek, I understand” wrapping her arms around him, and kissing his nose gently. 

“I love you Penny” he tells her. 

“I love you too” she tells him earnestly. 

“Now, go and rescue your brother” 

“If he’s really been arrested he will need rescuing from my father!” 

*

His father and three Older brothers are waiting for him when he finally makes it down stairs. 

“I said five minutes Gordon” his dad is furious. “Get in the car we are going to the hospital”. 

“I’m sure he will be fine dad”

“NOW GORDON!” His dad shouts at him. 

*

Alan is handcuffed to the hospital bed, and apart from being a little pale he doesn’t look hurt. 

His dad briefly glances at him to make sure he will live then goes to speak to the police officer standing guard. 

“What happened Allie?” Scott asks. 

“I don’t know. I was at the party having a great time. Next thing I know I’m waking up here being held under arrest for being drunk and disorderly. They pumped my stomach Scott. But I swear I only had one drink, I wasn’t drunk I promise”. 

“You had one drink too many. You swore you wouldn’t drink Alan. What were you arrested for?” Scott is as angry as their father. This is no school boy prank. This is serious. 

“Assault” Alan replies ashamed. 

“WHAT?!” Virgil interrupts. 

“I hit a guy” Alan expands. 

“Who?” Virgil asks. 

“Why?” Scott adds. 

“I don’t know it’s all a blur” Alan starts to cry. 

Gordon wraps his baby brother up In his arms and lets him cry it out on his shoulder. 

Their dad comes back. His face is unreadable. 

“Dad?” Alan tries. 

“Save it Alan. I don’t want to know. Your blood alcohol limit was four times the legal drink drive limit. You are lucky you were stopped when you were. If you had gotten behind the wheel of the car you were about to steal you could have been killed, or worse you could have killed someone else. I have spoken to the police and they are going to let this slide, you won’t have to go to court and this will not make the press. But I can assure you Alan this is not the end of it. When you get home you’re going to find out the true meaning of being in disgrace.” 

“But I...” Alan tries again. 

“No” Jeff interrupts. 

Alan goes to open his mouth but a warning look from Virgil behind his dads back shuts him up. 

The journey back to the hotel is tense, Alan knows that he has really messed up this time and that his dad is going to make his life hell. Worse than the time Scott set the barn on fire back in Kansas. 

*

BREAKING NEWS:

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE OPERATIVE ALAN TRACY ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED CAR THEFT, UNDERAGED DRINKING AND ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER. More on the ten o’clock news. 

“You said you had sorted it” Scott tells their father. 

It has been the worse twelve hours of Alan Tracy’s life, currently confined to his fathers hotel room he flicks the tv on to find his face on every channel. 

“I did, someone must have leaked the story to the press”. Jeff replies. 

“But who? It wouldn’t have been one of us?” John asks. 

“I don’t know, but when I find out I am going to sue them for everything they have!” Jeff is pacing up and down the room, and he has never been this angry in his life. 

He had planned to quietly deal with this when they got home, but now he can’t even leave this damned hotel without the media shoving a camera in his face. 

“Dad?” Alan tries again. 

“I did not give you permission to speak Alan so keep your trap shut!” Jeff growls at him. 

Alan instantly falls silent. 

*

The only one not in the room is Gordon. He has snuck upstairs to be with Lady Penelope. 

“I can’t believe this Pen, Alan wouldn’t do what he is being accused of. I know my brother. He’s just a kid, he couldn’t even beat up a pillow let alone a human being. I need to get to the bottom of this. I have to help him.” 

“What does your father think?” She asks apprehensively 

“That he’s guilty. I don’t understand why he isn’t listening to him. He always listens to our side of a story before making his mind up.” 

“Maybe he just needs time to calm down?” She puts her hand tentatively on his shoulder and he turns to look at her. His eyes shinning with tears. 

“My baby brother Penny”. 

“Everything is going to be okay Gordon, I promise you” she tells him pulling him towards her and gently rubbing his back. 

*

“We did it boss, it went exactly according to plan, and they don’t suspect a thing. The astronaut one, you know the weird little blonde one with the blue eyes, we spiked his drink then set him up to get arrested. Then havoc snuck into the hospital and overheard his father bribing the police officer to drop the charges, so we fed the story to the media. Just like you wanted!” Fuse Is thrilled that this plan was pulled off without a glitch. 

“Good” now hang out near the hotel to see if you can get anymore gossip for the media” Lord Creighton-Ward tells them, for once pleased with the job they have done. 

“Penelope? Where are you?” He asks calling her phone. 

“Crap, it’s my father, hang on I will take it in the bathroom. Stay quiet Shrek!” 

Gordon nods, he knows that they need to keep this relationship a secret from both their fathers. 

“Hi daddy” she says flipping open her phone. 

“Penelope? Where are you? Have you seen the news? Those international rescue morons have really messed up this time, and I am going to be cashing in on their misery. I need you back home my darling daughter. We have a hostile takeover of Tracy industries to plan”

“I’m at a hotel in Milan for a fashion show father, and I won’t be home for days. As after this I have to go to a photo shoot in California”. 

The photo shoot isn’t a lie, and she was even planning on staying in this hotel! 

“No chance I can persuade you to ditch it and come home?” 

“No father, I made a commitment, and you always taught me to never back out of something if you know you’ll be letting down millions of people”

Her father ponders this for awhile, he certainly does not recall ever giving her that advise! 

“Okay darling, I will see you in a few days”. 

“Love you dad”. 

“Love you too Penelope”. 

Hanging up the phone she heads back into the bedroom where Gordon is waiting for her. 

“What did he say?” He asks. 

“Nothing interesting or important” Penny tells him. 

“Now how about we go for round two before you have to leave!” She adds licking her lips in anticipation. 

*

“Where have you been? We have been trying to get hold of you for an hour. You were supposed to go upstairs pack and then come straight back” Jeff snaps at Gordon. 

Not stopping to wait for an answer Jeff carries on ranting. 

“Now get your stuff down to thunderbird 2, then you are flying thunderbird 3 home. Do not look at me like that Gordon, just do as I say. And do it now.”

“What about Alan?” Gordon asks. 

Jeffs hand reaches out before he can stop it, and he slaps Gordon, hard. 

“I DID NOT TELL YOU TO QUESTION ME. GET OUT GORDON. NOW.” He screams at him. 

Gordon flees the room in terror. His dad has never hit him before. Not even when he got expelled from school, or the time when he almost drowned John in the pool in a prank gone wrong. He’s crying as he makes it down to thunderbird 2 where he runs into Virgil. 

“Gordo?” Virgil asks shocked. “What’s wrong?”

“He hit me” is all Gordon will tell him. 

“Dad?” Virgil asks 

Gordon nods and bursts into renewed sobs. 

“What did you do to deserve it this time?” Scott asks. “If dad had to hit you, you most likely deserved it” 

“How can you say that Scott? He didn’t have to hit anyone” Virgil replies, his arms still wrapped around the distraught squid. 

“I’m with dad, if he hit you Gordon you need to apologise for whatever you did to make him angry” Scott insists. “Now if you don’t mind. I’m going home”. 

Scott turns and walks out of thunderbird 2 leaving Virgil alone with Gordon. 

“What happened squid?” He asks, drying his cheeks with his uniform sleeve. 

“He asked me to fly three home. I asked about Alan and he hit me. I don’t know Virgil. I just don’t know”. He’s still crying. 

“You okay to fly three home?” Virgil asks concerned. 

“Yeah, just give me a minute to calm down. It didn’t even hurt that much Virg, it was just a shock” 

“I bet it was, he didn’t even hit you when you swapped his shower gel with superglue!” Virgil reminds him laughing. 

Gordon doesn’t laugh, “so what’s changed? What have I done wrong?” 

“Nothing. He’s just angry, he will get over it, I promise. Now how about an emergency celery crunch bar!” Virgil asks using one of the weapons in his arsenal guaranteed to cheer his brother up. 

He gives him a weak smile and nods. And they sit down in the pilots seat and co-pilots seat and split a bar between them, Virgil making sure Gordon gets the bigger half. 

*

Alan is forced to sit in the rear of thunderbird two, his chair has been turned to face the wall and he has been warned that he will be thrown out and made to swim home if he dares to turn around or speak. Jeff insists on flying home with Virgil, while John goes with Gordon. 

Both flights are tense with barely a word said, and John takes refuge in the space elevator back up to five the minute he is home. 

Alan is banished to his room, and Gordon flees to his, unable to look at his father. Scott and Virgil aren’t speaking either as Scott seems to believe that Gordon must have done something to deserve getting slapped, and Virgil is furious with both Scott and their dad. 

“Squid?” Virgil knocks on his door, “can I come in?”

“Sure” Gordon replies. 

“I thought you might be hungry, I bought you a snack” Virgil hands him a sandwich 

“Thanks Virg. For everything.”

“It’s okay gordo, I have your back forever. You know that. You’re my wingman!” 

“Always Virg!” Gordon replies, his mouth full of cheese and pickle. 

“Very elegant! Swallow Gordon!” Virgil replies laughing. 

“Have you spoken to Alan?” He asks him, serious now. 

“No. Dad has locked him in his room and won’t let me near him. He’s really angry this time. This isn’t something he can make go away, and it is damaging his reputation” Virgil tells him sadly. 

“I believe Allie”. Gordon says. 

“Me too Gordo, but what can we do about it. He was arrested and dad hates bad publicity more than even the Creighton-Wards!” 

“Find out the truth, and make dad see sense” Gordon tells him. “Virg, what if all Creighton-Wards weren’t actually evil?”

“You hit your head again? You know they are Gordo. It’s in their blood. All of them are bad” Virgil tells him. 

He tried. He will just have to try harder in the morning. 

*

Jeff is watching the news. The headlines were all about Alan’s arrest. The reporter Kat Kavanaugh is gleefully telling the whole world that Alan Tracy of international rescue was arrested for assaulting a police officer. 

“And that’s not all, in a desperate attempt to cover it up his father Jefferson Tracy, the billionaire ex-astronaut and founder of international rescue was then caught on camera bribing the arresting officer to drop the charges. We have been asking for your opinions via our social media platforms all day and here is what you have to say:

@lfischler: those Tracy’s have to be made accountable for their actions. They have been getting away with it for far too long. 

@lordcreightonward: now is the time to stop this shambles of an organisation from operating. I’m sure the president of the United States would be only too happy to see them all investigated for their clear corruption. #stopIRnow 

“Shortly after that tweet from Lord Creighton-Ward the hashtag stopIRnow was trending on twitter...”

The tv screen suddenly goes blank. 

Looking up Jeff finds Scott standing there. 

“Dad; you really shouldn’t bother with that garbage, this will all blow over in a day or so. I think we should all go to bed and you’ll see, tomorrow will be a much better day”

Jeff likes Scott’s optimism but he doesn’t believe it. 

“I have a feeling we are in for a long hard few weeks Scott. We will all have to pick up the slack from Alan while he isn’t out on rescues, but he won’t be going anywhere while I don’t know if I can trust him.” 

Scott agrees, Alan deserves to be taken off duty, if it was up to Scott, this would be a permanent solution. 

Together they get up and head to bed.


	7. ...can never stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reeling from the events of the party Jeff tries to make it up to his two youngest boys.

Alan has never felt so alone and afraid. He knows his father and brothers all despise him now, and he doesn’t blame them. Who is ever going to believe his story, especially as no one will even listen to his story. He had one drink. After that he doesn’t remember a thing. 

He is still locked in his room, and the only contact he has had with the outside world in two days is the meals his father is bringing him. But seeing as this is his grandmothers cooking he has no idea if this is because deep down his dad still cares enough to feed him or is determined to poison him! 

He can hear the key in the lock, but he knows from the clock on his bedside table that it is not meal time. 

Looking up from the book he has been trying to read, he finds his father standing in the doorway. Scott is behind him, with an identical look of disgust on his face as they look into the room. 

Trapped for two days, and sulking Alan’s room is a mess, he hasn’t bothered opening the curtains, and he hasn’t bothered taking a shower. Even though he is more than aware that he stinks of a foul combination of body odour and vomit. 

“Okay Alan, now I have had time to calm down and process everything I am willing to hear your side of the story”. His dad tells him. Alan doesn’t believe him, he’s still staring daggers at him, but he tries. 

“I only had one drink, there was a girl there who said she would get it for me as she knew I was under age. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just wanted to try and learn what being a grown up was all about, that’s all I remember. Everything after that is blank until I woke up in the hospital in handcuffs. Dad I swear I didn’t do what they said I did” he maintains eye contact with his father throughout. 

Finally he can see his father believes him, Alan maybe a lot of things, but he has always been a terrible liar. But Scott doesn’t. And he is never going to trust him again. One drink was one too many and he is not going to risk a mission going out with a child he can’t trust. 

“It’s okay Alan, we are going to be investigating this privately but for now, you can’t go out on missions. You can’t leave the island, although I am going to let you out of the room. On the condition to have a shower!” His dad tells him. 

If this was up to Scott he would he kept locked in this room forever, turning round he storms back out the room. 

“He will be okay, you just betrayed his trust Allie, but that’s the great thing about this family, it can be won back. But it is going to take you a long time” 

Alan starts to cry, after believing he had cried out all his tears he suddenly finds that the well hasn’t run dry. 

This time his dad is there for him. Wrapping his youngest boy into this arms and holding him while he cries it out. 

“Now go and take a shower! And Alan?” 

“Yeah” 

“Open a window!” His dad adds laughing. 

*

“How did it go Jeff?” Grandma asks anxiously. 

“It’s okay, I believe the kids story. Now I’m going to try to talk to the squid. Again. I should never have hit him. I understand that he is still angry, but this time I have bribery!” Jeff tells her. 

*

Gordon’s room is empty and he isn’t in the pool, or on the sofa. 

“Virgil, have you seen Gordon?” His dad asks. 

Virgil has barely spoken to him in the last two days either. Still disgusted by his actions at the hotel. 

“Yes, he’s on the beach” Virgil replies with an air of formality. He knows ignoring his father is never an option. 

“Thank you son, and Virg?” 

Virgil looks up from his painting. 

“I’m sorry, for everything”. 

Virgil doesn’t even smile, he just nods politely before returning to his canvas. 

*

Virgil is right. Gordon is on the beach, alone. He is sat on the sand his arms hugging his knees staring out at the ocean. 

“Gords?” He hears his father call. 

But he doesn’t move. Or even acknowledge his presence. 

Sitting down next to him Jeff can feel Gordon shivering even though it is not a cold day. 

“Gordon? you’re freezing” 

“Not” He replies, still not looking at him. 

“Look at me son”, Jeff pleads with him. “Please”. 

Instinctively Gordon does as he’s told and turns his head in the direction of the man pleading for his forgiveness. 

“Gordon, I don’t even know where to start here. I should never have raised my hand to you, and I certainly should not have hit you. Is there any chance at you that you’ll ever forgive me?” 

“I don’t know” he replies honestly. “I need time dad, and space. I’m sorry but I’m going to stay in California for a few days, I have spoken to Virgil and he agrees with me. I have to get away from everything here”. 

“What about missions?” Jeff asks. Clutching at any available straw to keep his precious squid with him.

“I will be contactable dad, it’s only California, it’s not like I’m moving to mars” He replies. 

Jeff knows he has to let him go. 

“When are you leaving?”

“Tonight, Virgil said he would drop me off. Scott is still mad at me because you hit me. Apparently I deserved it” a lone tear escapes from his eye, falling down his cheek, but he doesn’t bother wiping it away. 

“I will talk to him Gordy. Everything is going to be okay” his dad reaches out to touch his arm, and Gordon flinches in fear. 

Jeff knows when he is defeated. 

“You know where I am if you need me” He tells him, leaving the box of his beloved celery crunch bars and getting up and walking back to the house. 

*

“Scott is still being an asshole Virg” Gordon tells him, “he still won’t even look at Alan, and he seems to think dad should have beaten me years ago”. 

“I know, but he will come round. Eventually.” Virgil has slipped into the role of family peace maker trying to talk to Scott about his attitude towards the younger and more vulnerable members of their family, but he isn’t interested. 

“Where are you going to be staying anyway? I doubt it’s the same hotel as the party” Virgil asks. 

“You’re right it isn’t, I’ve rented an apartment, using some of my inheritance from mom”. He tells him. 

“But what about the family credit card? You are still entitled to use it!” Virgil asks. 

“I don’t want his money Virg, I have my own. Funds even he doesn’t know about” Gordon tells him, his voice bursting with pride, at his own independence. 

“How?” Virgil asks him curiously. 

“Prize money and endorsements from the olympics, carefully invested into a number of environmental protection projects that have made me a small fortune in just three years” Gordon replies proudly. 

“Does anyone know?” Virgil asks. 

“Only Alan” he replies. 

They lapse into a comfortable silence until Virgil announces it is time to land. 

Gordon grabs his luggage and hops down from the cockpit. 

“See ya Virg” he says to his brother. 

“Bye squid” Virgil replies. “Call me if you need anything, and if we need you we will stop and pick you up, okay?” 

“Okay”. 

And with that thunderbird 2, and Virgil are gone. 

Gordon knows he wasn’t being completely honest about why he won’t use the family credit card, he doesn’t want his location revealed to his father. Even though he has entrusted Virgil with it, he knows his brother won’t say anything. But Scott would happily snoop through the accounts and feed it back. As would John. 

Gordon calmly walks up the steps to his new apartment, Lady Penelope is waiting for him wearing nothing but a sheer nightgown. 

“Did they suspect anything Shrek?” She asks him nervously. 

“Not a thing, they’re all too wrapped up in their own problems Princess” he replies. 

“Oh Gordon, I’m sorry” 

“Don’t be. I’m over it, we will still have business to do as we are international rescue”. 

“But” he adds sadly “we are no longer a family”.


	8. Let her Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth is out now. Can Gordon and Penelope find a way to unite their warring families?

“Just what is your problem Scott?” 

He still won’t speak to Alan, preferring instead to pass messages through either their father or Virgil. 

And Virgil has had enough, Gordon has been gone for a week, and although he is in touch with him it isn’t the same. He knows Alan is also missing him, but Scott is still adamant that Jeff was justified in hitting Gordon. 

“Alan let us all down”. Scott snarls in reply. 

“He had one drink. And he knows he messed up. Scott you have to let this go, or it’s going to destroy you”. 

“I have to know I can rely on him Virgil. And he proved categorically that I can’t, he was told no alcohol. None at all. He let us all down and I can’t trust him anymore” 

“Okay fine, you need more time. I get that, but Gordon?” Virgil asks. 

“Dad should have smacked him years ago” Scott replies rolling his eyes. 

“What did he do?” Virgil just doesn’t understand Scott’s logic. 

“He should have been looking out for Alan. Maybe if he had been properly disciplined in the past he wouldn’t have snuck out of the party. He still won’t even tell us where he went” Scott replies. 

“So let me get this straight, you are angry with Gordon because dad never beat him whenever he messed up? And it was his responsibility to babysit Alan and he wasn’t entitled to have a good time without your permission?” Virgil breaks it down and tries to make it seem as childish as Scott has been acting. 

“Yes!” Scott replies, even though he is aware he is being ridiculous. 

Virgil just rolls his eyes in disgust and walks away. 

*

“I spoke to Scott Gords, and he is still being an idiot!” Virgil tells his brother. 

Gordon is lying on the beach, having spent most of the day in the water, watching the sun slowly sink over the horizon. His day has been utterly perfect, until now. 

“What did I do to him Virg? I don’t get this. Ten days ago he actually loved me and now...” there is a hint of sadness in Gordon’s voice, he misses his brothers. 

“I don’t know Gords but I’m trying to find out, I don’t think this is anything you have personally done. I think this is just something Scott has to come to terms with on his own”. 

They hang up, and Gordon grabs his towel and starts to head back to the apartment. 

Where Penny is waiting for him, with a pizza. Gordon gives her the happiest smile he can muster, but he isn’t fooling her. He’s miserable without his brothers. 

“Come on. We will eat this then I want to talk to you about something”. 

“This sounds serious” Gordon tells her, his mouth full of pizza. 

Lady Penelope nervously wrings her hands. Looking up at him. 

“Pen. What is it?” He asks concerned now. 

“Gordon, I can’t do this anymore. You need to go back to your family. I have to stop being so selfish and trying to keep you here, but they need you more than I do”. She tells him. 

“No they don’t. Where has this come from? I thought you loved me” 

“I do, but you can’t abandon your brothers for me. I cant do that to you. I will just have to learn to live without you. My beautiful Shrek”. She tells him her eyes filling with tears. 

“No” Gordon tells her fiercely. “You are the only woman I have ever loved, and you are going to be by my side forever. What can I say to convince you that this is real?” 

“Well, I want a baby” she tells him. 

That was the last thing he was expecting her to say! 

“And I have been shopping around all day, and I have found the perfect child for us”. She continues 

Confused, Gordon looks at her one eyebrow raised. “I’m not sure that’s how it works Pen!” 

“Yes, just look at him!” She shows him a photo of a pug puppy on her phone. “He’s eight weeks old and I was thinking we could name him Sherbert.

She is smitten, and he knows anything other than “Yes we will get a dog” is the wrong answer! 

“How about Bertie for short” he asks her, smiling at the innocent little creature who is staring up from the screen at him, begging for a forever home. 

“Perfect” She tells him smiling. Then she opens the bathroom door, and the little pup comes running into the room. 

“Bertie, this is daddy” she tells him picking him up so he can meet his father for the first time properly. 

“We are parents” he tells her smiling. All thoughts of going home to his brothers forgotten now. He has real responsibilities. 

*

BREAKING NEWS: MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE SCANDAL HIT INTERNATIONAL RESCUE. 

“What now?” Jeff thinks as he looks up from his paper work to look at the screen, buzzing Alan, Scott and Virgil in to join him. 

The four of them are horrified as the screen is filled with photos of Gordon and the daughter of their sworn enemy. 

At the party. At the beach. At the shopping mall. 

Jeff is disgusted, his son has utterly betrayed him and in the worst possible way. 

“Virgil. Get me Gordon. And get me Gordon now. Get down to thunderbird two and drag him here if you have too”. 

“But dad?” Virgil tries to protest. 

“NOW Virgil”. Jeff growls at him. 

Virgil flees the room. 

“Gordon! Dad knows. Dad knows everything. Your little relationship is all over every major news station. I’m coming to get you now, and if you’re really lucky, dad will not kill you!” He warns his brother. 

“Oh shit” he replies. 

“What did you expect? Jesus Gordon! Of all the people in the world, you have to choose the one off limits! I thought you had more sense than this” Virgil tells him, his head in his hands. 

“I will explain everything when you get here Virg. This is not what it looks like” he tries to tell him. 

“Okay I will let you explain. But I doubt dad is going to accept any excuses for this.” Virgil tells him with a sigh. 

“I know Virg. Believe me, I know.” Gordon tells him sadly. 

Virgil lands and heads into the apartment. 

Gordon, lady Penelope and Sherbert are waiting for him on the sofa. 

She has her hand on his arm, subconsciously trying to warn Virgil that Gordon is hers now. Not his. 

“Well?” He asks. His arms folded in front of him. “I’m waiting Gordon” he tells him impatiently. 

“I love her” he says simply. 

“You don’t know the meaning of the word! Just because she is the first girl who’s looked at you twice you think you’re in love? And what happened to your motto of date hard date often?” He asks. 

“I met her” he replies. 

They look lovingly into each other’s eyes. Feeling like they are the only two people in the world. 

“Get a room you two!” Virgil tells them, smiling. 

“You mean you’re okay with this?” Gordon asks incredulously. 

“If it’s what you want, but you have to realise that dad will not approve Gordo. And he may make you choose between your family and her” Virgil tells him, getting serious again. 

“I choose her” he replies defiantly. 

“Well let’s back back to the island and talk to him”. 

Gordon knows he has to go back. 

*

Lady Penelope is devastated as he walks out of their apartment 25 minutes later with his luggage, vowing to come back for her soon, but he has to sort this out first. 

Holding Bertie close to her she starts to cry, they were only a family for a few short hours. 

Her phone is ringing again, it has rung nonstop for the last three hours, since the story broke. It’s her father. 

Finally giving in and answering it she can hear the hatred in his voice. 

“Why him Penelope? You could have had the wealthiest, most eligible men in the world. You could have been a princess in a castle. Instead you choose a boy not worthy of your stature. And get rid of that blasted dog!” He adds bitterly seeing Sherbert on her knee. 

“I can’t father. I love him”. 

“You don’t know the meaning of the word” he spits at her. “You’ll get the next flight back to England and when you do I am going to make sure you never set eyes on that Tracy again”


	9. Falling from grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon joins Alan in Jeffs bad books!

Jeff is sat stiffly at his desk, his back straight, staring the the launch tube he expects Gordon to come up any second. Trying to make his face as hard and as intimidating as possible. He can feel his pulse racing with anger at Gordon’s betrayal. No one else is in the room, even Scott had the sense to flee to the safety of thunderbird ones hangar, to perform some unneeded maintenance. 

Gordon bravely faces his father. His face unreadable, as he stands in front of the desk, his hands relaxed at his sides. 

Jeff is determined to give him the opportunity to explain, even though he is deeply judging his sons life choices. 

“How long Gordon?” His dad asks. “How long have you been seeing her?” 

“Since the party” Gordon tells him, without a hint of remorse. 

“Why would you do this to me?” Jeff tries again. “Do you have any idea the damage you are doing to this family? We have to show a united front you the world, people have to be able to trust us. Between you sleeping with the daughter of a wanted criminal and Alan’s drunken antics I have never been more disgusted to call my self your father. Scott was spot on. The pair of you can not be trusted to behave like adults, so I am going to treat you like the spoiled child you are. No leaving the island, no pool, no rescues and NO celery crunch bars. I won’t starve you Gordon, and despite Scott’s claims I’m not going to start beating you, but you are no longer allowed to call your self my son. You will have no contact with your brothers and you will certainly not be allowed to contact her. Am I understood?” 

“But father?” Gordon protests. 

“That’s Mr Tracy to you!” Now get to your room Gordon and get out of my sight”. Jeffs voice raises in anger. 

But Gordon doesn’t move, standing in front of his father in a dangerous stare off. He isn’t going to be defeated this easily. 

“NOW” Jeff tells him, his eyes wild with anger. Finally standing up, towering over Gordon, he advances on him with his fists clenched by his sides. 

Finally Gordon gets the message and turns away racing towards the safety of his room. Throwing himself on to his bed he bursts into tears. 

*

Lady Penelope is not going home, she has had enough of living a lie. The happy socialite. This last week with Gordon has shown her just how wonderful the world can he when you’re with the right person. 

“Come on Bertie, lets go for a walk” she tells the little pug sat on the floor by the sofa. He barks in happy anticipation and runs to the door where his lead has been hung up. 

“That’s right Bertie! Clever boy!” She tells him laughing. 

*

Her father is just as furious as Jeff, he can’t believe his daughter had access to Gordon Tracy and he is still alive! 

And where she got that mangy creature from he has no idea, but it will be drowned in the nearest river when she gets home! 

“Havoc, Fuse?” He calls. 

“Yes boss”, Fuse replies. 

“How much did you know about this?” Showing them the photo of Gordon and Lady Penelope walking along the beach, holding hands. They both look ecstatically happy and relaxed. Happier than he has seen her in a long time. 

“Nothing boss. We promise. We would have done something about it if we had known. You know you can trust us!” He tells him. 

“I never believed I could trust you!” He replies. Sarcastic and bitter as always. 

“Yes boss” Fuse replies. 

“Now go and find my daughter and bring her to me.” 

“PARKER! FETCH ME MY WHISKEY” he yells at his butler. 

Parker joins him for a glass. 

*

Scott has a new theory. One he is quick to share with his father. 

“It makes sense” he insists. “That woman is working for her father. She used Gordon to get to Alan. Alan said he only had the one drink. What if the drink was spiked. She slept with Gordon as a distraction.” 

“That’s a possibility” Jeff agrees, “Where is Gordon now?” 

“God knows. Probably thinking up a way to sneak off the island without you finding out!” Scott replies. 

“Let’s face it Dad, no one that pretty would sleep with someone like Gordon” Scott adds laughing. “He’s a midget with terrible dress sense and an attitude problem. I have no idea what she would see in him unless she was using him” 

“Do you even know Gordon?” John interrupts them from thunderbird five, where he has been listening to their whole conversation. “The night of the party he and Lady Penelope spent it in his room, they were nowhere near Alan when he got into trouble”. 

“And you know this how?” Scott asks 

“Communications Scott. It’s my job. I have known he was seeing her since the party”. He replies shrugging. 

“And you didn’t think to tell me because?” Jeff asks angrily. 

“Because this is how you reacted! Gordon is an adult dad, you have to let him make his own mistakes. You can’t seriously keep him locked up forever”. John tells him reasonably. 

“Watch me!” Jeff tells him, hanging up on his middle son. 

Jeff is furious, he can’t believe John would keep this from him. 

“What are you going to do now father?” Virgil asks him. With as much contempt as he can muster into the final word. “Ban John from missions too? Keep this up and you will have to do some work yourself! Now if you don’t mind. I’m going to check on Gordon” Virgil leaves the room, happily ignoring his dad command to stay away from the disgraced blonde. 

He knows his younger brother is miserable, but until their dad comes round he is trapped here. 

Gordon is lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He hasn’t moved from this spot all day. 

“Gordo?” He asks, walking into his room. “I snuck you in a celery crunch bar!” 

Gordon moves his head slightly to look at his brother. He manages a weak smile and sits up. 

Virgil tosses him the bar and sits down on the bed next to him. 

“What now Virg?” He asks in between mouthfuls. 

“We just wait. Dad will get over this and we will find you a girl he approves of, but you know you can’t see her again” 

“I can’t Virgil. She’s the only woman I have ever loved. We have a child together” he replies. 

“A CHILD? Jesus Christ Gords you were only with her for a week?! I hope. How long have you been together?” Virgil took sex Ed, he knows that there is no way Penelope could have had a baby in that time, unless they have been together a lot longer than he thought. 

“A week, but look at him, he has dads eyes!” Gordon shows him a photo of Sherbert on his phone. 

Virgil visibly relaxes. A dog he can deal with! 

“Not sure dad would agree with that description!” Virgil laughs at him. 

“Probably not, but I really don’t care right now!” Gordon tells him sincerely. 

“I know you don’t, but Gords? I’m still here for you, and John and Alan are too” Virgil tells him wrapping his arms around him in one of his famous Virgil Tracy bear hugs. 

*

Gordon keeps out of his dads way as much as possible. Which isn’t hard as his dad is clearly avoiding him too. 

He sticks to his room as much as possible. Alan and Virgil wander in and out at will, despite Jeffs threats. 

He is just drifting off for an afternoon snooze, when he hears the global emergency alarm. Only it doesn’t stop this time. Usually his father is on it so quickly his brothers don’t have time to breathe before they’re reacting to the distress call. 

Gordon knows he isn’t allowed off the island, but he can’t ignore someone who needs his help. That’s not the way he was raised. Ignoring every restriction his father has placed on him he races out to the lounge. 

“What’s the situation John?” He asks. 

“There’s been an accident at the bottom of the maridata vent field. A submarine with two crew members are trapped”. John tells him. 

“I’m on it John. Leave it to me” he assures him. Heading down to thunderbird 4s launch bay.


	10. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon places himself in terrible danger to prove he is still worthy of a place in Jeffs family

Jeff can’t believe Gordon disobeyed his direct order and took thunderbird 4 out on a rescue. He is standing in the centre of the sitting area, glaring at John. His arms folded in front of him, nostrils flaring. 

“How many times is he going to do this? Just how much more of an indication does he want to give me that he doesn’t have any respect for me?” He tells the room. Virgil and Scott are back from their own mission and have joined their dad where he is intent in berating John. 

“Who else was going to do it? You?” Virgil asks him, in a condescending manner. 

“No. I would have sent Scott” his dad replies. “I can trust Scott. Gordon is probably not planning on coming back!” 

“There is no way Scott would have had the time to get there!” Virgil replies. Trying to force his father to see sense, Gordon is their best underwater pilot, and they need him for this. 

The atmosphere between Virgil and Jeff is fuelled by anger and is so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

Jeff is saved from answering by the appearance of his youngest child, who looks like he has only just woken up. His hair has clearly not seen a brush, and he’s got odd socks on. 

“Why is everyone up so early?” He asks, hiding a yawn 

“Gordon snuck out without permission to rescue a submarine crew” Scott tells him 

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” He asks. 

“We tried! Three times!” Scott replies rolling his eyes. 

“Oh” is all Alan can say to that. 

“Gordon, give me a status update?” Virgil asks. 

“It’s kinda wet down here Virg. I think it’s been raining” he replies 

“You are not funny! And you know what I meant Gordo.” Virgil tells him. 

“If I am not funny, why are you laughing?” Gordon replies grinning. 

“Laughing at you little bro, not with you” Virgil responds. 

“Will you two be serious. Gordon, I want you back here as soon as you are done, and this time I will be locking you up, how bloody dare you do this.” 

“What save people dad?” Gordon replies. 

“Mr Tracy to you. You are not my son” Jeff replies. 

“Dad?!” Alan replies in horror. “You can’t be serious?” 

“Deadly serious Alan. Gordon has betrayed me for the last time”. Jeff replies angrily. 

“What did he do that’s so terrible?” Alan asks. 

“He was the one who drugged you at the party. Him and the little slut he is apparently dating” Scott interrupts, still absolutely convinced that the relationship between his brother and lady Penelope has been planned by Lord Creighton-Ward. 

“Huh? He wouldn’t?” Alan replies confused. 

“It’s the only explanation for what happened!” Scott insists. “The whole family is evil Al and they have sucked Gordon down to their level”. 

“Guys can we discuss this later?” John asks, “Gordon has found the submarine”

They all fall into silence, knowing that they all agree on one thing, they can’t fail a mission. 

*

Lady Penelope has been picked up by Parker, in the car her father gave her for her 18th birthday. It is a pink monstrosity that can fly and be used as a submarine. 

He is taking her home to her father. Whether she wants to go or not. Sherbert has been placed in a crate in the boot, and she can hear him crying for her. 

She has no idea when she is going to see her beloved Gordon again, but she is going too. This will not be the end of their perfect relationship. Because he is perfect for her, and she doesn’t even want to try to imagine her life without him. 

The three of them were the perfect family. 

“Shut up back there!” Parker shouts in the boots general direction. 

“Your father is going to get rid of the mongrel your Ladyship” he warns her. 

“He is not. Bertie is my child Parker, and I am not going back there. Under any circumstances” 

“You have no choice, your father wants to talk to you and to get you away from the bad influences”

“He isn’t a bad influence Parker”. 

“Parker. I love him. Please you have to help me? You aren’t a bad man. Not like my father. Please Parker” she’s begging him now. Desperate to not go back to that miserable, lonely existence. 

*

Gordon has spotted the ship, and as soon as he sets eyes on it he knows that this is no rescue. It is an unnervingly familiar shade of purple. 

“John, it’s the chaos crew!” Realisation dawning on the aquanaut, this is a set up, and he has fallen straight into their trap.”

“Gordon! Move! You have to get out of there. Now!” John tells him, trying to keep the note of panic from his voice. 

Turning the submarine around Gordon tries to flee. 

“Let’s get him!” Havoc tells her brother with glee. “This is our chance to make the boss truly proud”. 

“Launching disrupter missiles” Fuse replies, pressing the button. Two purple rockets deploy from the side of the cruiser and head straight for Thunderbird 4. 

“Huh?” Gordon is surprised when instead of making contact with him they fly straight past. Realising just in time that he wasn’t the intended target. He grabs his helmet and jams it on his head just as the the rockets hit the tower. Bracing himself for the impact, he just knows that this is going to hurt. 

The rock breaks apart and crushes the yellow submarine causing it to crack in half, water is flooding the cockpit and if he hadn’t been able to get his helmet on he would have drowned in minutes. 

Pain shoots up his spine as he tries to move. He can’t feel his legs at all. He doesn’t even know if they’re still attached to his body. He can taste blood in his mouth, spitting out the broken tooth. He feels sick with pain. 

He needs his brothers, and it is visions of them dancing in front of his eyes that gives him the strength he needs to reach out. He tries to lift his arm to reach the buttons but the pain in his shoulder is too much. He’s going to die down here. He just knows it. 

He might need this brothers, but right now he wants his dad. His dad how he used to be before the party. 

He can hear a voice in his head telling him to not give up, that she needs him to keep fighting. 

“Okay Penny” He tells the voice. Gritting his teeth he tries once more. 

Barely conscious, his head is throbbing now too, he tries once more. 

This time he is successful. Knowing his brothers would never leave him down here to die, as he finally succumbs to the darkness and his whole world goes black. 

*

“Boss, do you were suppose he will be okay? Gordon I mean”. 

“That’s for international rescue to decide!” He replies “Now get back to base”. 

So they do. They just leave him there, abandoned, crushed under the rocks. 

*

“Gordon?” John questions concerned. 

“You’ve activated your emergency code? Gordon?”

Still nothing. This is out of character for Gordon, he usually can’t keep quiet! Concern becomes full blown panic as he tries one last time. 

“GORDON!”


	11. Save our Squid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They need to work together and fast if they’re going to save their precious squid from the bottom of the ocean

“Dad?” Scott questions. His voice is pure terror. He can’t believe this has happened. 

“Go!” Jeff replies. 

Scott, Virgil and Alan all race down to thunderbird 2s hangar, Scott doesn’t even question Alan’s involvement. Nothing else matters. They have to get to Gordon, fast. 

Scott and Virgil don’t speak, and the cockpit of thunderbird 2 is eerily silent as Virgil determinedly Makes their way down the run way. The look between his older brothers isn’t lost on Alan. He knows this is serious. 

Jeff can feel his heart pounding in his chest, fifteen minutes have since they lost communications with Gordon, and he knows his oxygen supply won’t last forever. That’s even if he got his mask on in time, if he hasn’t... well he doesn’t even want to think about that. 

He runs his hands through his hair nervously, before sinking into the chair at his desk. 

The last conversation he had with his squid is playing over and over again in his mind. 

“You are not my son” 

“Oh god” he thinks, “please don’t let those be the last words I ever spoke to him”. 

*

Alan is configuring two submarine pods, one for him and one for Scott. They’re almost directly above the danger zone when they’re joined by a pink flying car. 

“John? Any word from Gordon?” She asks him. Her voice cracking with the emotion of not knowing what is happening. 

“Nothing. We aren’t hearing a thing” he replies. 

“I’m going to help” she tells him. 

Together the three vehicles plunge into the sea, moving swiftly through the water towards the wreck lying on the sea bed. 

“Oh man” Alan says in despair. “Thunderbird 4 is under that?”

“This is worse than I thought. Dad?” Scott asks. He’s trying to remain calm, but the fear in his voice betrays his true feelings. 

He doesn’t trust the occupants of the car, but right now he would accept the help of Satan himself if it meant he could save his brother. 

“There’s a pulse. But it’s weak” his dad replies. 

“We are going to have to work together on this” Scott tells Alan and Lady Penelope. “Alan and I will l lift the chimney. The second thunderbird 4 is in the clear...” 

“I will get him” Lady Penelope finishes the sentence for him. 

Working together Scott and Alan free thunderbird 4 from under the rock, Lady Penelope slips out the hatch underneath the car, swimming across to Gordon, she grabs her compact which has a built in laser and cuts one of the windows out. 

“Oh Gordon” she sighs. 

Her beautiful Shrek is still unconscious there is dark bruising is forming around his hair line, but he is still breathing. She gently takes his arm and slips it round her shoulder. 

“I HAVE HIM!” She calls, leading him back to the car. 

Scott and Alan release the chimney and allow it to fall back down to the sea bed, on top of Thunderbird 4, which they know will lie there forever. 

Lady Penelope has Gordon’s head placed gently in her lap and she Is stroking his hair. 

“Hurry Parker” She begs him, “please”. 

Parker knows his words are just words. And even he doesn’t believe the words he finds escaping from his throat. 

“Gordon will be alright. I know it.” He tells her. Focusing solely on getting them out of there. 

*

Gordon is still unconscious when they reach thunderbird 2. Scott takes him from lady Penelopes grasp and places him on the stretcher in the med bay. 

Scott is performing the med scan, they can see just by looking at him that his right leg is broken. 

Alan is standing nervously watching Scott work. He desperately wants to help, but he knows that he would just be getting in the way. His eyes focus on Lady Penelope, who is up near Gordon’s head, she can’t take her eyes off him. 

“Running the med scan now dad” Scott informs his father. 

“I can have him back to the island in ten minutes” Virgil advises him. 

“Virgil! No!” He’s dad interrupts forcefully. The results of the scan are showing him alarming results. 

Virgil is about to argue when his dad continues. 

“You need to get that boy to a hospital!” 

*

“John? Where?” Virgil asks his brother. 

“There’s a GDF medical facility about 15 miles away, head south east. They’re expecting you in the next 2 minutes” John tells him. “You want to land in emergency helijet park, and take him in through the rear entrance. They have people waiting Virg.” 

“Got it thunderbird 5”. Virgil confirms. “Coming into land now. Scott we are here, lowering the module stand by” 

There are three medical officers waiting for them with a stretcher. 

Scott leads his brothers, Lady Penelope and Parker into the hospital but they know their job is done. He is safe now. 

*

It is several hours before they hear anything. They spend their time in a small private waiting room. The only furniture is half a dozen cold, hard plastic chairs and a wooden table. The room has been painted a weird shade of lime green, even the ceiling. Which gives it a closed claustrophobic feel. 

No one says a word and the atmosphere is tense. Even Sherbet knows to keep quiet, he is curled up on Alan’s knee fast asleep, while his youngest uncle gently scratches him between the ears. 

All they have been told is Gordon is in surgery, they don’t know the full extent of his injuries and Scott especially is afraid to ask. 

They look up as the door opens, hoping it is news Scott can’t hide his disappointment as his brother, grandmother and father walk in. 

The three new arrivals don’t question Lady Penelope’s presence. 

“I have spoken to the doctors” Jeff tells them gravely. 

“And?” Scott asks gingerly, looking up into his fathers eyes. 

“It isn’t good news Scotty”. 

That much they suspected. 

“His right leg is broken in three places, he has three cracked vertebrae at the base of his spine, one at the top near his neck, two broken ribs, one of which pierced his lung, a fractured collarbone, a broken tooth and a severe concussion. And this is his second concussion within six weeks. They had to remove part of his skull to help reduce the swelling in his brain.”

This is all too much for Scott, Gordon should never have been the one to go out on this mission. He never got the all clear from his last injury. He went out there to save lives, lives not even worth saving. 

“Scott?” His grandma asks, picking up on her eldest grandsons distress, she holds her arms open for him. And he dissolves into fresh tears, while she holds him. 

“Can we see him?” Virgil asks. 

“Not yet, he is still in surgery” Jeff replies. 

“Still, But dad, it’s been hours!” Virgil is shocked. “How much longer?”

“I don’t know, Doctor Sullivan said that have managed fo stabilise him, and that they are setting his leg while they have him under anaesthetic, then he will be placed in an induced coma in intensive care while they wait for the swelling to reduce in his brain” he tells him. 

*

They remain there all night. Barely speaking. Each lost in their own thoughts as they struggle to process the facts.

The worst one of all being that someone has done this deliberately, they lured Gordon into a trap, then fired missiles at him. Then, and in Scott’s eyes especially this is even worse, they left his brother to die. The longer this night drags on the more convinced Scott is that they have succeeded. 

“Jeff Tracy?” 

Jeff looks up at the nurse holding a clipboard. She has dark brown hair, streaked with grey pulled into a severe bun behind her head, and thick steel framed glasses and looks like she has had the same night they have. 

“You can see him now, but one at a time and for 5 minutes only. Every hour or so. If you want to come with me I can take you to his room”. 

Jeff nods to her and stands up. 

“I will go first, then we will take it in turns”. He tells them. 

Lady Penelope looks at him, pleading wordlessly with him to be allowed to see her Shrek. 

And he doesn’t hesitate to agree, he may not approve of his sons choice in girlfriend, but she risked her own life to save his, and he knows he can’t turn his back on that. 

Gordon is lying on his back in a deep coma, his right leg is in plaster to his hip, he has a brace wrapped around his torso up to his armpits, his left arm is in a sling, he has a neck brace on and the bandaging around his head can’t cover up all of the bruising. 

There is a drip in his right arm. The ventilator is beeping steadily keeping his vital signs as stable as it can. 

Jeff sits in the chair next to Gordon’s bed and gently takes his right hand in his and squeezes his fingers. 

“Gordon, sweetheart. I don’t even know if you can hear me or not, but it’s daddy. I’m sorry Gordy, for everything. I should never have treated you so badly. And I should never have said those things to you. None of it’s true. I love you squid. I will always love you, no matter what”.

“Please keep fighting squid. Lady Penelope needs you. I need you. We all need you”

Bringing Gordon’s hand up to his lips he gently kisses his sons fingers. He can feel a tear falling down his face but he doesn’t brother brushing it away. He sits there silently until the nurse comes to tell him his 5 minutes are up. 

Jeff doesn’t fight for more time. Defeated he gets up and sadly leaves the room.


	12. Hearts and bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can the squid survive the devastating accident

The next 36 hours pass agonisingly slowly. Jeff is true to his word and let’s his brothers, grandmother and Lady Penelope spend time with him. 

Gordon is still in an induced coma to protect his brain, but also because if he was conscious his body wouldn’t be able to cope with the pain from his injuries. 

No one sleeps, choosing instead to stock up on energy drinks and coffee. They also haven’t spoken to each other unless it is absolutely necessary. Jeff to tell the boys that he was advised the GDF that they are unavailable. Scott to offer to get more coffee. Lady Penelope has not said a word. 

*

Lord Creighton-Ward is thrilled with the results of the attack, and doesn’t hesitate to have the Chaos Crew leak the information to the media. That will teach Penelope a valuable lesson in respect. She doesn’t obey him and she will suffer. 

Fuse can’t believe that he was responsible for this. This was not what he signed up for. Leaving Gordon under the rubble was the hardest thing he has ever had to do, but he knows that this is his life now. There is no escaping the Chaos Crew. He knows that the boss does not make idle threats, the only way out is in a body bag. 

“Fuse? What’s wrong?” Havoc asks, having come across her brother sitting quietly, with his head in his hands staring down at a newspaper article about the attack on international rescue. 

“Reading about what we did to him. I don’t want to do this anymore” he tells her seriously. 

“Well don’t, put the newspaper away”. Havoc tells him, deliberately missing the point. “And besides. I never knew you could read” she adds shrugging. 

“That’s not what I meant. We could have killed someone Havoc. How are you okay with this? How can anyone be okay with it?” He asks her. His conscience is gnawing at his insides and he feels physically sick with disgust. 

“We have to be okay with it. It’s what we do Clarence”. She tells him, slipping up and using his real name. Because if she was being totally honest with her self she knows he is right. What they did, what they have done in the past, and even what the boss has planned for their future is dark and grim and it isn’t the life she ever wanted for herself, or her younger brother. 

But when they were rescued from the streets they had nothing. The boss took them in and put a roof over their heads. He gave them some respectability, and they can never think of a way to repay him. They both owe him their lives. 

*

“Boys?” Jeff is calling from the doorway. 

“Yes dad?” Scott replies as the eldest he has always seen it as his responsibility to be answerable to his fathers commands. 

“I have just spoken to the doctor, they are going to start reducing the sedation and try to wake up your brother.” He tells them. “The swelling has reduced significantly in the last few hours. They have warned me that he may be a bit confused and disoriented to begin with, but that will get better in time.” 

There are signs that he is coming back to life, as they all pile into his room. His breathing is stronger, and his eyelids are starting to flutter as he tries to wake up. 

“Gordon?” His dad is the first to speak up. 

“Ow” is the first word out of his mouth. 

“It’s okay Gordy, don’t try to talk, just relax and we will fill you in on what you have missed. 

“Kay” he mumbles, his jaw clenched in pain as he tries to focus his eyes on his father. Only he can’t get his brain to concentrate on the task in hand. He wants so badly to go back to sleep, and to never wake up. 

“Dad, Don’t do this now. He isn’t strong enough” 

Jeff turns round to face Virgil. 

“Look at him, just let him rest. There is plenty of time to catch up when he is feeling a bit stronger” Virgil insists. 

Jeff looks into Gordon’s eyes, go find them filled with all the raw emotion of not knowing or understanding what has happened to him. And he knows Virgil is right. Now is not the time, there will be plenty of time to catch up once he is feeling better. 

“Okay virgil” Jeff agrees, “how about we let you get some rest squid?” 

“S-s-stay” Gordon mumbles, already feeling his eyelids growing heavy with the weight of impending sleep. 

“I’m not going anywhere” Jeff tells him, sitting down in the chair next to Gordon’s bed and grasping his hand, holding the one part of his precious Squid that wasn’t crushed. 

Gordon squeezes back as he drifts back into a semi conscious state. 

*

“What now?” Scott asks. “What do we do now? Somebody actually tried to kill him! And if i get my hands on them they’re going to wish they were dead!” 

Now Scott is sure that Gordon is going to be okay, he can turn his anger back towards to evil who caused this. 

“I will find them. And I will kill them” he announces. 

“Scott, please don’t talk like that” Alan pleads with his eldest brother. 

Alan feels like his whole world has been torn in two. Ever since that party, nothing has gone right. 

Sensing that uncle Alan is unhappy Sherbet jumps up into his lap and nuzzles his hand with his nose. Giving out a little whimper as he does so. 

Well nearly everything! He thinks. Looking down at his nephew, a small smile forming on his lips. 

*

Every time Gordon wakes up, he is a little bit more coherent until finally, almost a week later he can have a proper conversation without crying in pain. 

His dad has been there every time he has woken up, and filled in him on everything he missed. Especially the rescue. Telling him that it wasn’t only his brothers who risked their lives to save him, but also Lady Penelope. 

“Really?” He can’t help but keep the hope out of his voice. He knows that she has been to see him, and that for some reason she wasn’t chased from the hospital by his father or Scott, but he hasn’t been given any real details. 

“Really, and she has been here with us for the last nine days. I finally met my grandson Squid. And I don’t agree with Virgil that he has my eyes!” Jeff tells him with a chuckle. 

“Does this mean....?” Gordon asks. His voice trailing away into silence. 

Jeff looks into his face, which first time, is starting to show the life that Jeff loves so much. He is still pale, but his eyes, the eyes of his beloved Lucy, are starting to get back their sparkle. 

“That I approve of your girlfriend?” Jeff asks. 

Gordon just looks at him without moving, he doesn’t even blink as he silently begs his father. 

“I do. I don’t approve of the way you went about it, but that is a conversation for when you’re feeling better. One I want to have with both you and your brothers, as every single one of them has Told me that they would have done exactly the same! But Gordon...?” Jeff questions, pausing, 

“I just need you to know how sorry I am for putting you through this. I should never have made you choose between me and the women you love. And the way I treated you these last few weeks, you didn’t deserve any of it. I love you and your brothers so much, when your mother passed away, you boys are the only reason I survived myself. I kept telling myself that I couldn’t give up because my children needed me to stay strong. When John told us what happened, the attack, the emergency signal, the silence. You don’t want to know what was going through my head.” 

“Dad, it’s okay. I love you” Gordon tells him weakly, his voice breaking. 

“I love you too Gordon Tracy, now try and get some rest I’m going to grab a coffee” 

Jeff quietly leaves the room, as his beautiful squid drifts into a peaceful sleep. 

Then his heart stops beating.


	13. Tears Don’t Mean You’re Losing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon suffers a major setback in his bid to recover from his horrible accident

Jeff can do nothing to help but stand and watch in terror as he is bundled out of the room by the doctors who work tirelessly to save his son, again. 

Tears spring to his eyes for the millionth time in a week as he watches his squid undergo life saving treatment. 

“Jeff? What’s happened?” Lady Penelope asks, joining him outside Gordon’s room. 

“I don’t know, I just don’t know” he replies. The tension in his voice worries her. She has only known him for ten days, but she already admires his calm attitude in the face of extreme adversity. 

“He just stopped breathing, I have to call the boys. Excuse me Penny”. 

The boys have gone home, believing as their father does that Gordon is going to be okay now he is awake. 

Jeff doesn’t even know what time it is on the island, time has lost all meaning for him now, as he picks up his comm to get through to the island. 

3 o’clock in the morning is not Virgil’s ideal time to wake up, especially not for the global emergency alarm. 

Rushing into the living room half dressed almost knocking Alan out on the way as he has also been woken up by the alarm. 

Yelling an apology he races to answer the call. 

“Dad?” Crap he thinks, Gordon!

“Virgil. He isn’t breathing. You need to get back here. Fast.”

“What are you talking about? He was fine when I spoke to him a few hours ago. He even made a joke about trying to escape” Alan asks him. 

“I don’t know what happened” Jeff tells them. His voice is breaking again. 

“Okay dad we will be there within the hour”  
Scott tells him, having joined them, finally. Fully dressed and ready for action. 

*

“Mr Tracy?” It’s Gordon’s surgeon, doctor Sullivan. There is a grave look on his face, causing Jeffs heart to sink in despair. 

“We have managed to restart his heart. He went into cardiac arrest because of a chest infection we should have picked up on. We have had to place him back in a coma until he is strong enough to breathe on his own again. I have prescribed him antibiotics to combat the infection. You can see him for a few minutes now, but you can’t stay long. He needs to rest”. 

Jeff solemnly walks back into the room, where Gordon is once again unconscious, holding the door open for Lady Penelope to join him, they both take seats either side of the bed, and sit silently gazing at him. 

Jeff can no longer deny that Penelope and Gordon are in love, and he can’t forbid them being together, he also realises that he doesn’t want to. These two were made for each other and his only objections now lie with how much trouble her father will cause for this young couple but he is going to protect them. At all costs. 

*

Fuse is struggling to cope with the guilt he is feeling. Havoc has tried talking to him, to tell him that it was justified. Anything the boss asks is for the greater good. He has their best interests at heart. 

Lord Creighton-Ward is furious at his only child betraying him so badly, but he knows there is nothing he can do about it while she Remains in the sanctuary of the hospital, showing up there and causing trouble will make him look like the bad guy, and he is not the bad guy. His daughter let him down in the worst possible way and even worse than that Gordon Tracy is still Alive! 

Calling through to his minions, as he likes to call them, he can’t get a response from Fuse. 

Fuse has always been the weaker of the two, stupider than a potted plant he is easy to manipulate. And he is utterly predictable. He has even less respect for Fuse than he does for his sister. She does at least show some ingenuity and backbone every now and again. 

Havoc, however, answers his call. 

“What is it boss?” She answers. 

“Go and find something to destroy. Distract international rescue from that infernal hospital so I can have my daughter forcibly returned to me.” He tells her. And without another word hangs up, and goes back to his only comfort. A big bottle of whiskey. 

“Fuse? That was the boss. We have another assignment. FUSE?” She calls, getting no answer. 

She finds him sitting in the dark in his sleeping quarters aboard the Cruiser. He is just staring blankly at the wall opposite him, his eyes are glassy, and there are dark shadows under his eyes. He looks like he has not slept in days. 

“Sorry sis? Did you say something?” He asks her snapping out of his daydream. 

“Yes. I did. We need to go and blow something up, boss said he didn’t care what as long as it gets international rescue on the scene”. She tells him, not even trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. 

Fuse sighs unhappily, knowing he has no choice. He has to follow orders. 

“What’s the plan?” He asks her. 

“Not sure yet, but it will be good. It has to be to get all of them involved enough. And then we can pick them off. One by one! Think how happy the boss will be if we pull this off” 

“Just tell me what you need me to do.” He replies resigning himself to his fate. 

*

Gordon is awake again. He doesn’t know what happened to him one minute he was talking to his father the next minute he was waking up to find his entire family anxiously watching his every move. 

It is late at night, and the room is dimly lit. Lady Penelope is his only visitor as his dad left to get some rest and his brothers were called away on a mission in England, only they haven’t given him any details. 

“I am so happy you’re going to be okay” Lady Penelope tells him, trying to keep herself from crying. 

“Me too!” He jokes. Trying to cheer her up. She’s been with him every day, and he loves her even more than he ever did before. 

“You know it’s okay to cry Pen, believe me, I have shed a thousand tears when I’m alone. I keep replaying everything over and over again. I don’t remember much, apart from feeling panicked when John told me to get away. And confusion when I saw the missiles fly past me. I can remember a voice telling me that I was going to be okay. I think that was you when we were In the car. A beautiful voice whispering that they loved me and needed me to keep fighting. Penny, I will always keep fighting for you, I love you.” 

The last three words are spoken with so much sincerity, she can’t help it. Tears stream down her face, silent tears, as she takes his unbroken hand in hers and just holds him. Her beloved Shrek. They’re going to be together forever. She doesn’t speak for a long time, and when she does her voice sounds hoarse and distant. 

“I love you too”. She tells him. 

He smiles up at her, before he drifts into a peaceful sleep. 

“I think date nights over”, a voice from the doorway tells her. 

Jeff is standing there, leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded. 

But he’s smiling. 

“Good night Shrek”, she tells him, kissing him gently on the forehead before getting up and following Jeff out of the room so he can get some rest.


	14. I don’t want to save your life.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the face of extreme adversity, Alan has a choice to make.

The Chaos Crew have placed explosives under London Bridge, and they plan to blow it up with as many people trapped as possible. This was Havocs big plan, to draw international rescue out into the open and make sure they all suffer. 

It was Eos who picked up on the distress call, as John was back in the hospital with his brothers when it came through. She doesn’t pick up on this not being a distress call but a bomb threat and doesn’t hesitate to contact John. 

“What’s going on out there Eos?” He asks. A rescue is the last thing they need while their brother is fighting for his life, but it’s what they do! 

“John, there is a distress call coming in from England. Someone has planted a bomb under London Bridge there’s dozens of tourists there at this time of day and they’re going to blow it up. They said if you aren’t there in the next thirty minutes all those people are going to die.” She tells him. 

“We are on it Eos!” He assures her. Turning to his brothers and father. “We have to go. Now, keep us updated on Gordon’s progress dad, Alan, Virgil, Scott; gear up, we have lives to save!” John tells the room. Leaving Lady Penelope and Jeff alone in the room. 

*

They make the short flight to England in record time. Landing on the river bank they are surprised to find everything is normal. There is no panic or rush to evacuate. Everyone seems surprised to see them. 

“What the heck?” Scott asks. This feels wrong, they walked into a trap twice before and nearly lost their brother on both occasions and he is not going to be so naive again. 

“Sweeping the area guys.” Nothing. No sign of the promised bomb. 

“This doesn’t feel right Scott” John tells him. Scott agrees but he can’t leave until they are certain that this is a false alarm. 

“I’m going to go and check it out” Scott tells them, slipping down out of thunderbird one and jet-packing his way over to the bridge. 

Then he spots what he is looking for. 

Underneath one of the stone support pillars is the Chaos Cruiser. 

He can just about make out Havoc behind the controls, laughing at him. Once again he has fallen straight into their trap. He can feel his pulse racing with either adrenaline or fear, even he doesn’t know. 

“This is no hoax John, the Chaos Crew are down here. They have lured us here and now they’re going to blow me up” Scott tells him, his voice is oddly calm, resigned to his fate. 

“Scott get out of there!” Alan shouts at him from inside thunderbird 2 where he is still sequestered with Virgil and John. 

“There is no time you have to start getting everybody off the bridge, I will try and stop them activating the bomb” Scott tells them. Trying and he believes succeeding in keeping the sheer terror he is feeling out of his voice. 

“He’s scared Virg!” John tells him. “We have to do something. NOW!” 

“Let’s go” Virgil replies, “Alan, John start getting people off the bridge. I’m going to help Scott.” 

They don’t questions Virgil’s orders and instead leap into action alongside him. Virgil slipping into his exo-suit so he can be of some use to his eldest brother, and joins him on the bridge. 

“Virgil what did I say? Get away from here? It’s too dangerous.” Scott shouts across at him, all pretence has disappeared from his voice now. 

“Not without you! We almost lost Gordon, I am not prepared to lose you. Especially not to these two douche-bags. Scott they aren’t worth it” Virgil tells him. 

“You move Tracy. You die!” Havoc tells him. “As will the other Tracy who’s name I can never remember, Virgin isn’t it? Well whatever? He will die too.” 

“Look, just let us get everyone off here to safety, then you can blow us both up” Virgil tells them trying to negotiate “because without Scott I don’t want to live anymore” 

That throws Havoc and Fuse for a second, and they have no answer for him. 

“Just detonate the bomb Fuse and then we can get out of here and work on the bosses other project. Getting him his daughter back” Havoc tells him. 

“His daughter?” Scott replies. “Just who are you working for?” Even though he has a sinking feeling that he already knows the answer. 

“None of your business Tracy” Havoc tells him. 

And with that, she presses the button. 

The explosion rips through the underside of the bridge, causing the two main pillars to collapse and sink down into the river below. Virgil and Scott both feel themselves being thrown sideways by the blast. But Scott’s jet-pack is able to kick in just in time for him to get safely clear. 

Virgil is a different story. Stuck under a pile of debris, Scott has lost him. 

“VIRGIL? Answer me! THUNDERBIRD 2 DO YOU READ ME? VIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRGIIIIIIIIL” Scott is screaming. Trying to make contact with his brother. 

The bridge is in chaos, he can hear civilians screaming, and he just hopes that Alan and John were able to convince everyone of the danger. 

“Virgil?” He tries again, but there is still no answer. 

“John? Do you copy?” Scott asks trying a different brother. He needs help, and he needs it fast. 

John answers him straight away. 

“All okay up here Scott. We got everyone off just in time, the chief police officer took us seriously and they were a great help. Where’s Virgil?”

“I don’t know” Scott replies. “I can’t make contact with him. There is debris everywhere, and if he’s gone under the water... John we need to find him. Fast” 

“Alan is heading for thunderbird 4 now”. John tells him, glaring over at the youngest Tracy brother who in turn doesn’t say a single word as he flees to the sanctuary of thunderbird 2 to get ready to launch. 

*

Coming round to a tonne of rubble crushing his whole body was not how Virgil imagined spending the day. He doesn’t think any thing is broken, but he has a nasty gash on his leg which has torn through his suit, and by some miracle which he can’t quite understand he is not below the water level. His comm is broken, and he knows his brothers will be panicking. 

Excruciatingly slowly he starts trying to move so he can start to shift the debris. 

“Ugh no, not a good idea” he says out loud to himself. Suddenly feeling a Myriad of injuries he didn’t even know he had. Knowing he isn’t in any immediate danger, all he can do is lie here and wait for his brothers to find him. 

*

Alan has taken thunderbird 4 right down to the river bed and is scanning for life signs. Nothing. “John? What now?” He asks a hint of desperation in his voice. 

“Widen the search perimeter Alan, up to 500 feet” John replies. 

This time he is successful. There are two weakened life signs buried under the sunken pillar. 

He manoeuvres thunderbird 4 over to the signal and starts to shift the debris, as carefully but quickly as he can. A surge of disappointment floods his soul as he realises that isn’t Virgil, and the bright purple of the Chaos Cruiser comes into view. 

“It’s the Chaos Crew John”. Alan tells him, bitter resentment rising like bile in his throat. These are the monsters that have been trying to kill his brothers. Forgetting that he too has been a victim of their tricks too. 

“Are they okay?” John has to ask, even though he doesn’t really care either way. He knows that if they need their help they will have no choice. 

*

Fuse is coming round, slowly, the Cruiser flooded when the explosion ripped a hole in the side of the vehicle. Pain is throbbing in his temples, as he tries to get up. Spotting his sister trapped and unconscious his heart filling with pain. They’re done for. There is no way anyone is going to bother looking for them, not after everything they have done. 

It is a shock therefor when he sees the lights from thunderbird 4, obviously it has been rebuilt following the incident with Gordon. 

“They must be looking for their brothers” he thinks to himself. Sinking back down on the floor, Fuse can’t help himself, showing the ultimate weakness in his sisters eyes. He starts to cry. 

When he awakes again, he is suddenly alert to the fact he is no longer on the Chaos Cruiser. 

“Where am I?” He asks his saviours. 

“Thunderbird 2” Alan replies, he is looking at him with an uncharacteristically ugly look on his face. It is a look of someone who has done something he deeply regrets. 

“What happened to Havoc?” He tries to ask. But the words die in his throat and just come out sounding like gibberish. 

But somehow Alan understands what he needs. He has brothers. He knows how he is feeling. 

“She’ll live” Alan replies shrugging. Glancing over at her; where she has been handcuffed to a separate stretcher in the med bay. Still unconscious but clearly still breathing. 

Fuse sighs in relief. They’re safe now. 

*

“You f-found me” Virgil stutters as he finally feels the rock pinning him in place being lifted free. “H-hurts Scott. S-so c-c-cold” 

“It’s okay Virg, don’t try to talk, just listen to me. For once!” Scott adds with a grin. 

Virgil manages a weakened smile. 

“Give me a pain number Virg? He asks his younger brother, he has to try to keep him awake while he waits for John to arrive with the stretcher 

“Eight” he replies grimacing. 

Eight is too high for Scott’s liking, Virgil is not one to complain about being in pain. 

“Hurry up John!” He begs “Virgil won’t last much longer if we can’t get him out of here” 

“Scott?” John replies, not bothering with the comm as he is right behind him! 

“Finally! We have to get him out of here John”. Scott tells him. 

Together they slide the spinal board underneath his back, trying to ignore his cries of pain as they work as gently as they can. 

He passes out again just as they get him into thunderbird 2. 

“Maybe he is better off unconscious for now” John advises. 

“Besides think how much whinging he would be doing right now if he was awake enough to realise he’s going to be sharing a hospital room with Gordon!” John adds laughing.


	15. The fall of The Chaos Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon gets a roommate!

“Hey roomie” 

Virgil groans painfully as he struggles to open his eyes. Finding himself in a dimly lit room, he can’t believe he is still alive. He is vaguely aware of a searing pain in his chest, and it is oddly comforting to him. It’s a reminder that he survived. 

“Gordon?” He croaks. 

“Yeah, dad refused to pay for two rooms!” He tells him laughing, “so I am stuck with you”. 

All Virgil can do is groan. Of all the people he could be trapped with, It would have to be Gordon! 

“Dad?” He calls out, his throat is burning and he could murder a coffee! 

“Hey Virg, you gave us quite a scare back there.” His dad tells him. “You got off lightly, only the one cracked rib, some nasty bruising and 144 stitches in the cut on your leg. Couple of days of rest and they will let you go home, where I will be keeping you under lock and key in the infirmary!” He tells him. 

“Tell him the good news!” Gordon insists. 

“Thanks to your brothers the Chaos Crew are now in the custody of the GDF. They were caught up in the blast, and Alan got them to safety” Jeff tells him. 

“Not that good news! The news he would care about!” Gordon adds. 

“Grandma Baked you some cookies” Jeff tells him, laughing at the look of horror on Virgil’s face. 

“No! Dad tell him!” 

“Yeah, dad tell me” Virgil croaks. 

“Your brother is getting married” Jeff finally lets the news out. 

Virgil is confused. Scott and John are single, Alan is too young and Gordon has the romantic sense of a shark about to devour its prey. 

“Which one?” 

“Me” Gordon tells him proudly. “She kept begging and begging so I finally gave in and agreed!” 

“Excuse me Gordon Tracy? Who begged who here?!” Lady Penelope asks, walking into the room, having heard the last part of the conversation. She wonders over to his bed, and awkwardly hugs his head, still the only part of him they can hug without causing him immense pain, but they still have to be gentle. 

Virgil can’t miss the look of adoration on either face, or the approval on his fathers. 

“Okay fine, dad told me to marry her quick before she changed her mind!” Gordon tries again. 

“No I did not Gordon!” Jeff laughs. 

“That’s Lord Gordon to you, mr Tracy” Gordon replies. 

“Lord Gordon?” The full horror finally hitting Jeff that his son now has a title! 

“It’s okay dad, I won’t let this go to my head. I will also accept ‘my liege’” Gordon advises him. 

“How about Sir Squid?” Virgil asks. Joining In with their laughter. 

“Don’t. Give him ideas!” Lady Penelope tells Virgil off. 

But they’re all laughing. 

“Hey Penny how many people are in front of me before I get to be king?!” Gordon asks. 

“Not going to happen!” Penny tells him smiling indulgently at her Shrek. 

*

Lord Creighton-Ward is furious. The arrest of his Chaos Crew has been a huge set back in his plans to destroy international rescue. And they didn’t even manage to get him his daughter back. 

He knows that they are facing life in prison for their crimes, and he is happy to let them rot. Feeling no love or loyalty to either of them, he doesn’t bother contacting his lawyer to help them. 

Fuse is planning on pleading guilty. To everything. He tried to kill Alan Tracy. He had him tied up and used as bait to lure his brothers into a trap, and yet Alan when given the opportunity to let them die, risked his own life to save them. 

He was released from the hospital and taken straight to the GDF maximum security facility based in Scotland. He has had no contact with the outside world since he was bought here, and he has no idea if his sister is still alive. 

He doesn’t feel scared for his future, resigned to the fact he never had one to begin with. He settles back down on the cold metal frame of the bed, leaning back against the wall feeling a rush of relief pouring over him. It’s over. He’s free. 

Havoc is a different story. Diagnosed with nothing worse than a sprained ankle she too has been released from the hospital and transported to a different facility. 

Banging on the walls to try to get the guards attention. She wants to get out of here, and is plotting a way to blame the whole thing on her brother. This was all his idea, this is clearly his fault. 

“I WANT A LAWYER!” She yells at the guard when he brings in her supper. 

“And I want to marry a 90 year old billionaire with a weak heart” he replies sarcastically. “Now stop complaining and eat your bread and drink your water”. As he slams closed the grill and walks away. 

*

“Mr Tracy?” 

Jeff looks up from the newspaper he is reading to find a GDF officer standing in the doorway. Both Virgil and Gordon are sound asleep, he has sent Alan, John and Scott home and Lady Penelope is out taking Sherbet for a walk. 

“Fuse has agreed to plead guilty, to everything. Two attempted murders of Gordon and Virgil, one of Alan and one of Scott as well as all other sabotage attempts. So there will be no reason to put the boys through the trauma of a trial” it’s over mr Tracy” 

“What about the other one? And their boss?” He asks not daring to get his hopes up. 

“She is a different story, but we are working on it. We do however have some news for you regarding the party.” He continues. 

“Oh” is all Jeff can say, everything that’s happened since has pushed the disastrous party right to the back of his mind. 

“It was the Chaos Crew. They drugged Alan and set him up. The whole thing was cleverly orchestrated by their boss, who has also been arrested but is working on getting an injunction to stop his name being released to the press. So I can’t tell you who it is”. 

Jeff is seething, he should have seen this coming. He can’t believe he ever thought Alan was capable of any of the crimes he was accused off. He should have have more faith In his youngest child. Instead he almost let it tear his family in two. Never again, he vows to himself. 

Looking at the sleeping Gordon, his beautiful little Gordy. He’s lying on his back, his broken leg propped up on a cushion. He still has a brace on his back and neck and his arm in a sling but he is no longer deathly pale. And his shining personality is back, complete with the worst jokes he can think of! And Jeff loves listening to them. Even the ones he has heard a million times before, and he doesn’t care if he hears them a million times again. He can get married and raise his own family, but he will always be Jeffs little Squid. 

Lady Penelope makes a decision to tell Jeff everything she knows. About her father, about the Chaos Crew. Everything. 

For hours she pours her heart out to him, trying to make him understand that she never wanted that life. Here with Gordon and his family is where she truly feels she belongs. Virgil and John accepted her without questioning it, and she loves them both, as brothers. 

Finally she can’t talk any longer looking up at him with a sheer desperation in her eyes there is a warmth there that she doesn’t remember seeing before. 

“It’s okay Penny, I get it. Really. I have no objections to you and Gordon, just promise me one thing.” He asks her. 

“Anything” she replies sincerely. 

“Don’t hurt him. He might act like he couldn’t care less about love, but he is a lot deeper than any one gives him credit for. And besides, you break his heart, his brothers will break your legs!” He finishes lightening the mood. 

“I love him Jeff. He can see right through the glamour of my so called rich life style and into my heart. That night we met, I had no idea who he was at first, we both had masks on, and we spent hours sitting in the corner of the ballroom just talking. He has so much left to give to the world, and I am going to be right beside him forever to help him achieve it all, and more.” 

“He’s my Shrek” She adds before falling silent, grasping Gordon’s hand in hers. “Forever” she whispers at him.


End file.
